Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus has clarified the actual reason for the absence of his compatriot, Cristiano Ronaldo, from Al-Nassr‘s upcoming continental fixture. The team’s captain will miss his third consecutive match, with the Saudi side set to face Turkmenistan’s Arkadag in the AFC Champions League 2 round of 16 first leg this Wednesday.
The Portuguese superstar did not travel with the Al-Nassr delegation to Turkmenistan on Tuesday, confirming his unavailability. His recent absence from domestic league matches against Al-Riyadh and Al-Ittihad was previously linked to his reported discontent over financial distributions among the top four Saudi clubs and his advocacy for the payment of his club’s staff salaries.
Coach’s Strategic Decision
However, dispelling notions of a player revolt, Jesus stated in a press conference covered by the newspaper “Al-Youm” that the decision was purely tactical. “I am the one who decided to exclude Cristiano Ronaldo from the match against Arkadag, not him refusing to play,” the coach asserted.
Elaborating on his rationale, Jesus explained that the exclusion of Ronaldo and other key players was intended to provide them with necessary rest. “Al-Nassr is anticipating a very strong and important match against Al-Fateh, so we want all players to be in optimal readiness for that encounter,” he added, referring to their upcoming Roshn Saudi League clash scheduled for Saturday.
The first leg of the continental tie against Arkadag is set for 11 February 2026, with the return leg in Riyadh scheduled for the following week. Meanwhile, numerous media reports indicate that Ronaldo’s period of absence has concluded, and he is expected to resume normal participation with the team starting with the match against Al-Fateh.