Will Cristiano Ronaldo Play In The FC Goa Vs Al Nassr Match Riyadh?

Will Cristiano Ronaldo Play In The FC Goa Vs Al Nassr Match Riyadh?

All eyes will be on Saudi giants Al Nassr's first 11 and bench as they host Indian club FC Goa in the vital AFC Champions League Two Group D fixture here on Wednesday. The Group D toppers are yet to confirm the availability of their marquee player, Cristiano Ronaldo, for the game. At the moment, the status of his participation remains doubtful.

A global superstar, Ronaldo has a huge following in India, and this is a rare opportunity for an Indian team to share the same field as him. Indian fans were left disappointed when CR7 was left out of Al Nassr's squad for the first leg in Goa on October 22, which the visitors won 2-1. The Portuguese was rested from the match, made easy by a clause in his contract that allows him to opt out of away matches at his discretion.

Ronaldo has not featured in any of the three matches Al Nassr have played so far in the group stage of the competition, even though he has been a regular starter in the Saudi Pro League. In their most recent game, on Saturday, he scored a brace against Al Fayha in a 2-1 win for his side.

FC Goa have picked up a bit of domestic form since losing the home leg and enter the clash at the Al Awwal Park with renewed belief. Despite the results in the AFC Champions League Two not matching their promise, the Gaurs have shown positive discipline and maturity, and would look to blend it with consistency.

The Saudis, on the other hand, don't look in great touch. They were recently eliminated from the King's Cup following a defeat to Al Ittihad, and only narrowly edged past Al Fayha with a late injury-time penalty.

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Still, they'd be as formidable an opponent for Goa as they have ever faced. And head coach Manolo Marquez seems to understand that balance quite well.

“It's an honor for us to play these kinds of games, not only for the players, but for all FC Goa fans and for Indian football as a whole. These are moments everyone will remember for a long time. But we're not here just to admire the stadium or the occasion; we're here to compete in the best possible way against a big team like Al Nassr. We've earned this opportunity through a lot of hard work, last season and in the early part of this one."

Source: News18
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