Pakhtakor hosts Al Nassr at Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium in Tashkent on Monday, November 2, for Matchday 4 of the AFC Champions League Elite.
Cristiano Ronaldo‘s team currently sits ninth in the standings, with three points from two matches, having recorded one win and one defeat. Meanwhile, Pakhtakor sits 12th with just two points from three games, having recorded two draws and one loss.
Ahead of the match, questions have emerged over whether Cristiano Ronaldo will feature, given Al Nassr’s congested schedule. The Saudi club faced Al Kholood just three days ago, on October 29, and secured a 5-3 victory, thanks in part to a hat-trick from Ronaldo.
According to reports on the day, Ronaldo and several other key players in head coach Ange Postecoglou’s squad could rest for this match because of the team’s demanding schedule.
Pakhtakor vs. Al Nassr Team News & Starting Lineups: Is Cristiano Ronaldo Playing?
For the home side, defender Khozhiabar Alizhonov is reportedly a doubt after being forced off in the first half of Friday’s game against Xorazm Urganch.
Meanwhile, head coach Ange Postecoglou traveled to Tashkent without defender Mohamed Simakan and winger Kingsley Coman. As mentioned earlier, Arabic media reports suggest Ronaldo could be rested for this match.
Meanwhile, midfielder Samu Costa returns to the squad after serving a one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards. The Portuguese could be in line to start.
Pakhtakor’s predicted starting XI vs. Al Nassr: Nazarov; Karimov, Tahseen, Pouraliganji, Nasrullaev; Sobirkhuzhaev, Buriev, Ibrokhimov; Khamdamov, Flamarion, Hussein.
Al Nassr’s predicted starting XI vs. Pakhtakor: Bento; Boushal, Al-Sharari, Martinez; Aman; Al-Hamdan, Costa, Angelo, Ghareeb; Felix, Mane.
Pakhtakor vs. Al Nassr: Teams Form & Latest Results
Al Nassr head into this match in excellent spirits, having won all of their last five games. In their most recent outing, they defeated Al Kholood 5-3 on October 29, with Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick and Angelo and Mané also finding the net.
Before that, they beat Al-Faisaly 3-1 on October 23, following a 1-0 victory over Neom SC on October 20. They also defeated Neftchi Fargona 3-1 on October 12 and Al-Diriyah 3-0 on October 9.
In the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo currently leads the scoring charts with seven goals, while João Félix tops the assists rankings with seven.
Meanwhile, Pakhtakor have won just one of their last five matches, having beaten Xorazm 1-0 on October 30. Before that, they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Al Quwa Al Jawiya on October 26 and a 3-1 loss to Neftchi Fargona on October 23. They had previously recorded two consecutive 1-1 draws against Navbahor Namangan on October 17 and Al-Qadsiah on October 12.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo Play Today? Pakhtakor vs. Al Nassr Team News