Cristiano Ronaldo has been diagnosed with a viral infection and will miss Al Nassr’s Asian Champions League opener this week against Iraq’s Al Shorta.
The Portuguese star, aiming to add Asia’s top club title to his list of accolades, won’t feature in Monday’s kickoff.
“Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo was not feeling well today and has been diagnosed with a viral infection,” the club announced on the social media platform X. “The team doctor advised rest and staying at home, so he won’t travel to Iraq. We wish him a speedy recovery.”
Earlier this year, Ronaldo’s first attempt with Al Nassr ended in a quarter-final loss to eventual champions Al Ain in a penalty shootout.
Now rebranded as the Asian Champions League Elite, Al Nassr and other Saudi teams are expected to be top contenders after heavy investments in players like Ronaldo and Neymar over the past two years. England’s Ivan Toney is the latest major signing, joining Al Ahli from Brentford for over $45 million last month.
The new-look tournament, with Saudi Arabia likely to host the 2034 World Cup, will feature a mini knockout round from the quarter-finals, with the winner taking home at least $12 million.
Al Nassr, Al Ahli, and Neymar’s Al Hilal will be among the 24 teams in the Champions League Elite, which is divided into East and West zones. Each team will face eight opponents in the group stage, and the top eight from each zone will advance to the round of 16, which will be held over two legs in March. The final stages will take place in Saudi Arabia from April 25 to May 4.
Despite Neymar still recovering from a knee injury, Al Hilal, aiming for a record-extending fifth Asian title, have strengthened their squad with the addition of Portugal’s Joao Cancelo from Manchester City. Al Hilal’s roster already includes stars like Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Ruben Neves. Meanwhile, Al Nassr, missing the 39-year-old Ronaldo, can still rely on Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte, and Marcelo Brozovic for their opening match in Baghdad.
Defending champions Al Ain from the UAE, led by Argentine legend Hernan Crespo, are also contenders after their victory over Japan’s Yokohama F-Marinos in the last final. Other teams from the West zone include clubs from Qatar, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Iraq.
In the East, Japanese teams have been dominant in recent years, with Yokohama returning to challenge again. However, coach Harry Kewell has been sacked after a poor domestic campaign. Kawasaki Frontale and Vissel Kobe will also represent Japan, while South Korea will field three teams: Pohang Steelers, Ulsan, and debutants Gwangju.
Although Chinese clubs have scaled back their spending, former Chelsea star Oscar still plays for Shanghai Port under Australian coach Kevin Muscat. Other Chinese teams include Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua, with Australia, Thailand, and Malaysia also represented in the East zone.
