Cristiano Ronaldo ruled out due to security concerns

Al Nassr opted not to name CR7 in the squad for the trip to Esteghlal, likely due to the chaos that unfolded during a previous visit to Tehran.

Cristiano Ronaldo has not been named in the Al Nassr squad for this week’s trip to Iranian side Esteghlal, likely due to concern over his safety after an incident in Tehran.

Al Nassr travel to Iran for the first leg of their AFC Champions League last-16 fixture against Esteghlal on Monday, March 3. The likes of Sadio Mane, Jhon Duran and Marcelo Brozovic are all included in the squad but there’s no CR7 in the team list.

Last year, Al Nassr’s trip to Tehran was overshadowed by widespread protests and huge crowds swarming the team and Ronaldo in particular. The game was played at an empty stadium due to a ban on home fans but supporters stormed the team’s hotel in a bid to meet Ronaldo.

World Soccer Talk reports that Al Nassr officially requested that this year’s game be played on a neutral venue, citing last year’s incident as proof that team safety cannot be guaranteed. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rejected Al Nassr’s request but the Saudi team opted not to risk it, leaving the captain at home for the first leg.

What happened when Ronaldo visited Iran?

In September 2023 Al Nassr became the first Saudi team in seven years to play a game in Iran. Their visit came soon after the ending of a seven-year ban on Saudi teams that dated back to an attack from an Iranian militia on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were gradually restored and Al Nassr were able to return for that year’s AFC Champions League game. But despite guarantees of safety, there were wild scenes as fans swamped the team hotel and raced after the team bus.

Al Nassr won the game 2-0 but police were required to intervene to control the crowd at the team’s hotel and CR7 was the focus of the chaos. Officials will hope that this year’s game is better secured but CR7 has decided not to risk it for the first leg. He will have his chance to make a mark on the tie for the return game on Monday, March 10.