Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr dealt blow as Pioli confirms star player is set to miss AFC Champions League clash
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr are all set to take on Al Rayyan tomorrow (September 30) in the AFC Champions League's second group stage clash. The side started their continental campaign with a 1-1 draw against Al-Shorta. They'll be looking to get back to winning ways against the Qatari outfit.
Notably, this will be head coach Stefano Pioli's debut in the continental event. Prior to the game, the Italian manager has shared some bad news for Al-Nassr fans. In the pre-match press conference, the 58-year-old said (via Al Nassr Zone):
"Brozovic will miss tomorrow's match."
Although Marcelo Brozovic will miss this tie, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to make a comeback to the team after missing out on the opener due to illness.
Standing in the heart of the midfield, the Croatian midfielder is an integral member of Stefano Pioli's setup. Last season, he joined the Knight of Najd from Inter Milan for his first expedition outside Europe. He has registered five appearances so far this season across the Saudi Pro League, Saudi Super Cup, and AFC Champions League Elite.
Last season, Brozovic played 43 matches across all competitions. Despite being a defensive midfielder, he scored five goals and provided 12 assists.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League Elite campaign
Despite having one of the most star-studded sides in Asia, Al-Nassr couldn't win the AFC Champions League last season. Currently, they are playing the AFC Champions League Elite after a new structure was introduced by the confederation. The ACL Elite is the top-most tier of continental club football in Asia.
Last season, Al-Nassr were placed in Group E of the competition. They were successful in topping their group and made it to the Round of 16. However, their campaign ended in the quarterfinals itself, after they lost out to Al-Ain on penalties.
In the current campaign, they haven't started well in the continental event. After their game against Al-Shorta ended in a 1-1 draw, manager Luis Castro was shown the exit door. The club has now brought in Italian tactician Stefano Pioli to manage the club.
Pioli, notably, had never worked outside Italy before. He was the head coach at AC Milan for the past five years. Since taking over at Al-Nassr, his side have recorded three wins in three games, scoring seven goals in the process and conceding only once.