Cristiano Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr earlier this January. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been on a good scoring run for quite a few months. This season he also already managed to net 6 goals and contribute 5 assists. With the Portuguese soccer veteran spearheading the Saudi-based club on the pitch, they’re not the friendliest opposition to play against. Despite that, just seven days before a significant continental clash, Ronaldo has been issued a warning.

Al Nassr will kick off their AFC Champions League group stage against Iran’s Persepolis on 19th September. In the draw, Al Nassr was placed in Group E alongside Persepolis FC, Al Duhail SC, and FC Istiklol.

Persepolis’ ex-head coach warns Cristiano Ronaldo

15-time Iranian Champion Persepolis has a history of solid performances in continental competitions, finishing as runners-up in 2018 and 2020. They have previously faced Al Nassr on three occasions, with both teams winning a match each and one resulting in a draw. In their last faceoff in the AFC Champions League 2020 semi-final, Persepolis edged out Al Nassr in a penalty shootout.

They aim to level the score with Cristiano Ronaldo now on Al Nassr’s side. However, before the clash, Ronaldo received a warning from an ex-coach of Persepolis. Former Persepolis coach Hamid Derakhshan expressed his views on the upcoming match: “Persepolis has a very organized team. I believe it will not lose to Al Nassr. I expect the match to end in a goalless draw.”

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Some exciting statistics add to the intrigue of this clash. Persepolis hasn’t suffered a loss in their last 14 games. On the other hand, Al Nassr is on a fiery four-game winning streak, where they average an impressive 4.5 goals per match. A few days ago, the Portuguese national soccer team reached a major milestone in Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence. But why did he miss that game? Let’s dive deeper.

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Ronaldo missed out on a national team achievement in the EURO Qualifiers

Adding to the drama, Cristiano Ronaldo is back with Al Nassr after serving a suspension due to a yellow card against Slovakia. The striker narrowly avoided a red card after unintentionally making contact with Slovakia’s goalkeeper, Martin Dubravka, using his boot. If the decision had gone the other way and Ronaldo was sent off, it would have been his first-ever dismissal while representing his country.

As a result of the suspension, Ronaldo missed the game against his most favored opponent, Luxembourg. He has scored a total of 11 goals against the international side. In his absence, Portugal banged in nine goals this time. They’re now in a favorable position to qualify for Euro 2024. As of now, they’ve won all six group-stage matches and hold a five-point lead over second-placed Slovakia.

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