Headline: Al Nassr Prepares for AFC Champions League Clash Against Pakhtakor Amid Ronaldo’s Potential Resting
Al Nassr will travel to Tashkent to face Pakhtakor at the Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium on Monday, November 2, as part of Matchday 4 in the AFC Champions League Elite. Currently, Al Nassr holds the ninth position in the standings, having gathered three points from two matches, which includes one win and one loss. In contrast, Pakhtakor sits in 12th place with only two points from three games, recording two draws and one defeat.
With the match approaching, there is uncertainty regarding Cristiano Ronaldo’s participation, especially considering the Saudi club’s busy schedule. Just three days earlier, on October 29, Al Nassr defeated Al Kholood 5-3, thanks in part to a remarkable hat-trick from Ronaldo.
Reports indicate that Ronaldo, along with other key players under head coach Ange Postecoglou, might be rested for this upcoming match due to the intense fixture list.
Pakhtakor vs. Al Nassr Team News & Starting Lineups: Is Cristiano Ronaldo Playing?
For Pakhtakor, defender Khozhiabar Alizhonov’s availability is in doubt after he exited Friday’s game against Xorazm Urganch in the first half. Meanwhile, coach Ange Postecoglou has traveled to Tashkent without defender Mohamed Simakan and winger Kingsley Coman. Arabic media speculation suggests that Ronaldo might also take a break from the match.
However, midfielder Samu Costa is set to return to the squad after serving a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation, and he may feature in the starting lineup.
Pakhtakor’s predicted starting XI vs. Al Nassr: Nazarov; Karimov, Tahseen, Pouraliganji, Nasrullaev; Sobirkhuzhaev, Buriev, Ibrokhimov; Khamdamov, Flamarion, Hussein.
Al Nassr’s predicted starting XI vs. Pakhtakor: Bento; Boushal, Al-Sharari, Martinez; Aman; Al-Hamdan, Costa, Angelo, Ghareeb; Felix, Mane.
Pakhtakor vs. Al Nassr: Teams Form & Latest Results
Al Nassr comes into this match in strong form, having won their last five games consecutively. Their latest victory came against Al Kholood, where they secured a 5-3 win, with Ronaldo netting a hat-trick alongside goals from Angelo and Mané.
Prior to that, they recorded a 3-1 win against Al-Faisaly on October 23, following a narrow 1-0 victory over Neom SC on October 20. They also triumphed over Neftchi Fargona 3-1 on October 12 and Al-Diriyah 3-0 on October 9.
In the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo currently leads the scoring charts with seven goals, while João Félix is at the top of the assists rankings with an equal number.
On the other hand, Pakhtakor has managed only one win in their last five matches, having defeated Xorazm 1-0 on October 30. However, they faced a 1-0 defeat to Al Quwa Al Jawiya on October 26 and lost 3-1 to Neftchi Fargona on October 23. Furthermore, they recorded two consecutive draws, ending both matches at 1-1 against Navbahor Namangan on October 17 and Al-Qadsiah on October 12.
