Will Cristiano Ronaldo play tonight for Al-Nassr vs Esteghlal in AFC Champions League Elite second leg?

The first leg between the two sides ended in a 0-0 draw.
When Al Nassr host Esteghlal tonight for the second leg of the AFC Champions League Eliteâs round of 16, they will be determined to end their current bad run of play.
Al Nassr come into this game hoping to win the match at home. Despite their recent inconsistencies, the Saudi Arabian team, captained by Stefano Pioli, is still a strong force at home. They will try to get past Esteghlalâs strong defensive position with hopefully Cristiano Ronaldo leading their attack.
In previous weeks, the hosts have come up with a number of ways to fail to get a positive result, and Friday was no exception. In their league match against Al Shabab on Friday, Ronaldo and company came back from behind to win the first half 2-1. But Mohammed Al-Fatilâs red card in the second half was the game-changing event. In the end, Pioliâs team drew 2-2, failing to get three points, which further dented their hopes to remain in the title race.
They are now fourth in the Saudi Pro League and ten points below first-place Al-Ittihad. Their ambition of winning the title is slipping away.
However, the team will turn their focus to the AFC competition. With Ronaldo and company scoring two or more goals in each of their last six games, Al Nassr have been playing brilliantly at home lately. Each of those matches saw more than two goals scored.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo play tonight?
Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo will play tonight when they welcome Esteghlal. The 40-year-old will be aiming to lead the team into the next round of the AFC Champions League Elite.
The former Real Madrid star missed the first leg of the competition but will return for the second leg after participating in the previous game of Al-Nassr. Despite being on the scoresheet in the last league game, he couldnât help his side secure a win.
However, tonight, he will look to make a big difference in the game. His presence always provides the team with more experience in attack.
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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.
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