Al-Nassr’s coach, Stefano Pioli, declined to speak about Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence after his team’s 2-1 defeat to Al-Sadd in the AFC Champions League on Monday. Ronaldo, who has been in excellent form this season, was rested for the match, and Pioli chose not to include him in the squad.

The game, which took place at Al-Awwal Park, saw Akram Afif give Al-Sadd the lead in the 53rd minute. A late own-goal from Romain Saiss briefly leveled the score, but in stoppage time, Adam Ounas converted a penalty to give Al-Sadd the win.

After the match, Pioli was asked about Ronaldo’s absence but chose to avoid commenting, stating, “I will not talk much about the absence of any player. We worked hard in the match, missed a number of opportunities, and lost.”

Despite the defeat, Al-Nassr has already secured a spot in the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League. Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022 after leaving Manchester United, has scored 78 goals in 87 appearances for the club and continues to be a key player for them.