Will Cristiano Ronaldo play tonight for Al-Nassr vs FK Arkadag in AFC Champions League Two RO16 2nd Leg?
(Courtesy : Getty)
The Portuguese star is yet to feature in any AFC Two games this term.
After resolving his issues with the Saudi Pro League manager, Cristiano Ronaldo recently made a triumphant return to the field, scoring once again. But the big call for manager Jorge Jesus now is whether to call up the Portuguese forward for Al Nassr’s crucial AFC Champions League Two encounter tonight.
Al Nassr, who were drawn against FK Arkadag in the AFC Champions League Two’s Round of 16, have already travelled to Turkmenistan without Cristiano Ronaldo for the first leg, which they won by a slim margin of 1-0. Jesus explained the Portuguese star’s absence at the time by saying he is not typically called up for games outside of Saudi Arabia.
Despite being pictured in training, there are doubts over the striker’s inclusion in the matchday squad for the match tonight, February 18, at Al Awwal Park in Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Al Nassr vs FK Arkadag Prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds
Will Cristiano Ronaldo play tonight for Al-Nassr vs FK Arkadag?
The Portuguese coach discussed Cristiano Ronaldo’s predicament at a press conference before the star attended Tuesday’s training session:
“We’re playing a match every three days, and that’s a big physical demand, so we will rotate between the players. Cristiano’s age is different from the rest of the squad, and he has made a big effort in the previous matches. We will decide whether he will participate or not after today’s training session.“
But it looks like, at the end, coach Jorge Jesus has chosen to rest Cristiano Ronaldo for tonight’s game against Arkadag, according to Ali Alabdallh.
During the ongoing 2025–26 season, Ronaldo has featured in none of the AFC Champions League Two games. This is primarily due to the fact that winning the Saudi Pro League title is the club’s top priority, not the competition.
But he is expected to feature in the later rounds of the competition.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo play tonight?
He might be rested ahead of the game.
What time is the match?
It will start at 11:45 p.m.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.