Al-Nassr Club announced in an official statement that Cristiano Ronaldo did not travel with the team’s mission heading to Iraq to face Al-Shorta in the AFC Champions League for the elite.
According to the statement, the Portuguese star is suffering from a viral infection, and because of that, Luis Castro decided to rest him and not go to Iraq with the rest of the Al-Nassr members.
The news sparked widespread controversy, as rumors circulated that Al-Nassr feared for Ronaldo from the Iraqi fans and the expected huge attendance, and therefore decided to keep him in Saudi Arabia.
For days, there has been a lot of talk about a large audience expected at the Al-Nassr and Al-Shorta match to watch Ronaldo, to the point that the crowding for tickets was indescribable.
Mahmoud Abu Al-Tamman, head of the security committee in the Iraqi Football Association, commented on the news of Ronaldo’s absence as a mere “camouflage” and that the Portuguese might go to Iraq.
Abu Al-Tamman said, “The agreement with the Saudi side confirms Ronaldo’s presence. We do not deny his absence, but there is a possibility of camouflage for fear of the fans.”
It is noteworthy that some reports said that some Al-Nassr players are hesitant to enter Iraq and do not consider it safe, most notably Ronaldo, who traveled to many Asian countries with his team, the last of which was Iran last year.
