Cristiano Ronaldo did not make the round trip of approximately 2,200 miles while Al-Nassr was held by Esteghlal at the Iranian National Stadium during the first leg of the Champions League of the AFC.
The five -time winner of Ballon d’Or Ronaldo shared a message of support for his team on his Instagram account – the most followed of the platform – hours before kick -off, saying: “Come”.
Al-Nassr closest in a first half from start to finish at the Azadi stadium of 78,116 capacities, where Ramin Rezaeian brilliantly directed Ayman Yahya’s head out of the line after the Iranian goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini kept the shot from Jhon Duran with his legs.
One night to forget for Al Nassr in attack, but to remember for the defense of Esteghlal! #Allite | #Sestvnsr pic.twitter.com/rf7rnfbsar
– #Allite | #Acltwo (@TheaFCCL) March 3, 2025
DURAN – A signature of 65 million pounds sterling in January from Aston Villa – sent a weak finish against a position and twice, Hosseini was shot to Hosseini while the Colombia striker made a third game for his new club.
The second floor will take place in Riyadh on March 10 (6 p.m. GMT).
Why didn’t Ronaldo play for Al Nassr in Iran?
Al-Nassr wrote to the organizers asking that the game be played “on neutral field” because of the “bad experience of Ronaldo in Tehran”, according to the DPA news agency via Mailonline.
The police should have disperse the crowds that assailed the hotel of Al Nassr during their visit to the Persepolis Tehran in September 2023.
Ronaldo was not involved when Al-Nassr drew 0-0 at the Azadi stadium against Persepolis, who also used the field on February 17, although his team has already qualified for the last 16 at that time.
Who can exceed Seyed Hosseini? 🧤#Allite | #Sestvnsr pic.twitter.com/tyabxjr9zl
– #Allite | #Acltwo (@TheaFCCL) March 3, 2025
The captain of Portugal Official YouTube Channelwhich has nearly 74 million subscribers, broadcast the Riyadh first Padel final during this match.
The double African footballer of the year was an unused substitute for Persepolis and not in the match team for the 2-1 defeat of the Saudi Pro League of Al-Nassr in Al-Orobah on Friday.
Esteghlal vs al-Nassr
Al-Nassr manager Stefano Pioli, brought four changes, bringing Sadio Mane for Ronaldo, the lateral rear Nawaf Boushal for Majed Qashish and the wingers Awad Ali Al-Hassan and Ayman Yahya for Abdulmajeed Al-Sulayhem and Wesley Teixeira.
The hosts set up a defense of five men and had 29% of the possession in the first half, but the newcomer of the Iranian national team Mohammad Rezadi tested the goalkeeper of Al-Nassr Bento with an angular reader.
Esteghlal had the first chance of the second half when Armin Sohrabian went into space, marking a brilliant restart after the Kirghizistan striker Joel Kojo came for Azadi at halftime.
Sohrabian transformed the supplier to produce an opportunity in gold shortly after, finding Rezaeian in front of the goal with a cross -country research crossing that his colleague wing could not nod with a pole side.
Esteghlal: Kojo threatens the winner
Al-Nassr beat Esteghlal 1-0 through the former Manchester City defender, Aymeric Laporte, in Dubai in Dubai during the group phase on October 22.
Recently managed by former boss of Crvena Zvezda, Miodrag Bozovic, Esteghlal won the AFC Champions League in 1970 and 1991.
The oldest professional team of Tehran won the Gulf Pro League Persian Pro League nine times, but is currently ninth over 16 clubs in the division after having won only six of their first 21 championship games of the season.
Having lost against Persepolis on Thursday, Esteghlal held more than held against Al-Nassr and got closer to a late winner when Kojo was looking closely.
Cristiano Ronaldo lenses
Ronaldo has scored once in his last four championship games, but is still the top scorer of the Saudi Pro League with 17 goals, followed by Karim Benzema of Al-Ittihad on 16.
The 40-year-old collected the Prix de la Ligue of the week before Al-Nassr played Al Orobah on Friday, but the evening ended with misery for the top scorer of all time in Real Madrid as the fourth drop in Al-Nassr for the ninth time in 23 championship games this season, including a Ronaldo Garing Miss when the score was 1-1.
With 11 remaining campaign championship games, Al-Nassr is 10 points behind the al-Ittihad leaders, four fewer reigning champions, al-Hilal and three drifting from al-Qadsiah, third.
Ronaldo Champions League statistics
Ronaldo scored six goals in the AFC Champions League this season while the 40-year-old has been looking to add to his lonely trophy since he joined Al-Nassr in early 2023, winning the Arab club champions cup that year.
Four of these goals occurred in its last three appearances in the competition, marking twice each of the Qatari opponents al-Gharafa on November 25 and at home of the Emirati Al-Wasl team on February 3.
Al-Nassr was eliminated in penalties by the Emirati Al Ain team in the quarter-final last season during the first experience of the Ronaldo competition.
He won the 2007/08 Champions League in Europe with Manchester United and repeated the feat four times between 2014 and 2018 with Real Madrid.
Al-Nassr welcomes the sixth al-Shabab placed on Friday (7 p.m. GMT) in their high inner flight.
