After being suspended in the Saudi Arabia tournament, Ronaldo reappeared when Al Nassr played at Al Ain in the quarterfinals, first leg of the AFC Champions League on the evening of March 4. The first opportunity came for Ronaldo in the 6th minute, when he leaned back and hooked the ball wide of the post.
After Al Nassr conceded in the 44th minute with Rahimi’s goal, Ronaldo had another chance to volley into the penalty area from a tight angle on the right. The ball stretched and headed towards the near corner but was pushed away by goalkeeper Al Ain.
Ronaldo’s most notable ball came in the 53rd minute, when he took a shot with his right foot from about 7 meters away, but the ball went over the crossbar. In the 81st minute, CR7 cushioned the ball from 5 meters away but was blocked by the opponent’s goalkeeper.
At the 10th minute of stoppage time in the second half, CR7 lobbed the ball from the middle of the field and narrowly missed the post in a situation where goalkeeper Al Ain was already high. Ronaldo’s incompetence caused the Saudi Arabia representative to lose during their trip to the UAE.
However, the opportunity to continue is still open for Al Nassr when they play the return match at home next week. In the second leg, Al Nassr will be without midfielder Aymeric Laporte due to suspension.
On the way out of the field after the match, the home crowd continued to chant Lionel Messi to mock Cristiano Ronaldo. This time, the Portuguese player replied “See you in Riyadh” and raised his finger.