Al-Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is dealing with a minor injury and will miss Al-Nassr's trip to Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League on Monday. (More Football News)

Ronaldo has scored 25 goals in all competitions for Al-Nassr this season, but Stefano Pioli's team are well adrift of Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League title race.

They visit Iranian side Esteghlal for the first leg of a Champions League last-16 tie on Monday, but they will do so without Ronaldo.

The club announced the 40-year-old's absence from their travelling squad on social media, with Pioli explaining at a press conference: "He had a physical problem.

"I wouldn't say it was 100% a big problem, but we preferred him not to be in the game."

Ronaldo did play 90 minutes in Al-Nassr's most recent game, a surprise 2-1 defeat to Al-Orobah on Friday.

Al-Nassr reportedly wrote to the AFC to request Monday's game be moved from Tehran to a neutral venue,66br after fans stormed into the team hotel to meet Ronaldo when the Saudi side last visited in 2023.

AlNassr’s squad list for Esteghlal!  pic.twitter.com/EAm5Ac1cfh

7xx— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) March 2, 2025

That request has been rejected, with the match set to take place at the Azadi Sports Complex.

A particular kind of Keffiyehapaixonadopg, traditional headdress worn by men from parts of the Middle East, is the symbol of the Palestenian nationalism and resistance.