Al Nassr FC has landed in Goa for their upcoming AFC Champions League 2 match against FC Goa at the Fatorda stadium on Wednesday, October 22. Notably, their captain and star forward Cristiano Ronaldo did not make the trip. The Saudi Arabian team’s arrival in India occurred at midnight on Tuesday, with coach Jorge Jesus leading the way.
Prominent players such as Kingsley Coman, Sadio Mane, and Inigo Martinez were seen at the airport alongside the rest of the squad gearing up to face FC Goa. Al Nassr’s flight encountered adverse weather conditions en route to Goa, necessitating five circles before eventually landing safely at the Manohar International Airport.
Al Nassr currently leads their group table with victories in their first two matches. They dominated FC Istikol with a 5-1 win and then triumphed over Al Zawraa 2-0 in Iraq to maintain their excellent form. Heading into the match against FC Goa, they are coming off a convincing victory against Al Fateh, with Felix securing a hat-trick and Ronaldo also getting on the scoresheet.
The absence of Ronaldo from the Goa trip was a significant letdown as efforts were made by FC Goa to have the Portuguese superstar join. Reports indicate that Ronaldo’s contract allows him to skip matches held outside Saudi Arabia, enabling him to manage his workload effectively. Focusing on fitness in preparation for the upcoming World Cup, Ronaldo has decided not to undertake the lengthy journey to India.
Ronaldo is striving for a record sixth World Cup appearance and aims to help Portugal secure the elusive trophy. With six goals and two assists in seven matches in the Saudi League and Cup, Ronaldo has been in good form.