Al-Nassr, Arkadag’s opponent in the AFC tournament, defeats Al-Riyadh away

Al-Nassr, the opponent of Turkmenistan’s Arkadag club in the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16, secured another victory in the Saudi Pro League.

In the 20th round away match, Jorge Jesus’s team defeated Al-Riyadh, who are 15th in the standings, 1–0. The winning goal was scored in the 40th minute by two-time African champion Sadio Mané after a precise assist from João Félix.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the main star of the Saudi Pro League, did not take part in the match. According to international media reports, Ronaldo declined to play due to the club’s insufficient efforts to strengthen the squad compared to other leading teams.

When the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and five-time UEFA Champions League winner moved to the Middle East, he was reportedly assured that Al-Nassr would become Saudi Arabia’s leading club. However, the team has yet to win any major titles. During the summer transfer window, Al-Nassr spent €100 million, while their main rival Al-Hilal spent €45 million more and recently signed Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema.

Cristiano Ronaldo has always pursued top-level success. Failing to win trophies over the past four and a half years does not align with the Portuguese forward’s ambitions. Ronaldo turns 41 on February 5. Despite nearing the end of his career, new trophies remain elusive.

In December 2022, Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia had specific reasons, as Europe’s top clubs declined his services. Although there has been interest from MLS, no club there can meet his expectations. The worst-case scenario would be retirement after the World Cup, yet Ronaldo continues to chase his dream of scoring 1,000 career goals. Valued at €12 million by Transfermarkt, he needs 39 more goals to reach that milestone. This season, he has scored 17 goals and provided one assist in 18 matches. His contract with Al-Nassr runs until the summer of 2027.

Ronaldo’s participation in the matches against Arkadag will be confirmed soon. The first leg of the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16 will be played on February 11 at Ashgabat’s Olympic Stadium, with the return leg on February 18 in Riyadh.

Recently, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Hero Arkadag, visited the capital’s Olympic Complex to review preparations for the upcoming international match.

Hero Arkadag emphasized that a victory by Arkadag FC, which has achieved major international success in recent years, would be a great honor for the country. He noted that even a competitive performance would be a matter of national pride and that the match would become a true celebration for citizens and foreign guests alike, inspiring future achievements. He expressed confidence that the players would demonstrate dedication, fairness, and beautiful football.