Cristiano Ronaldo’s return from suspension couldn’t prevent his club, Al-Nassr, from suffering a 1-0 defeat against Al-Ain in the first leg of their Asian Champions League quarter-final on March 4th. Now, Cristiano Ronaldo along with Al Nassr’s teammate will look to perform well in the second leg of the Asian Champions League.

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A solitary goal in the first half by Moroccan forward Soufiane Rahimi was enough for Al-Ain to secure a slender advantage heading into the return leg in Riyadh next Monday. This puts pressure on Al-Nassr as they need to win or at least draw the second leg to progress.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed Al-Nassr’s previous Saudi Pro League match as punishment for an alleged offensive gesture, looked fresh but ultimately couldn’t help his team avoid defeat. Video footage showed him cupping his ear and making a gesture that some interpreted as targeting fans of Al-Shabab, who were chanting the name of his long-time rival, Lionel Messi.

Despite the first-leg loss, there were positive signs for Ronaldo and Al-Nassr. Al-Ain’s fans attempted to replicate his gesture, but Ronaldo almost silenced them just six minutes into the game with a spectacular overhead kick that went narrowly wide. He also came close to scoring later in the match, attempting a long-range lob and having a close-range shot saved by Al-Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa.

While Ronaldo had his chances, Al-Nassr faced additional challenges. Al-Ain, coached by former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo, had two goals disallowed for offside, potentially altering the course of the match. To make matters worse for Al-Nassr, defender Aymeric Laporte was sent off in stoppage time for violent conduct, meaning he will miss the crucial second leg.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Al ain #AFC 23/24🎥.pic.twitter.com/1bfBn4MjSf

— الصلـّمي (@9llmy) March 4, 2024

However, Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro remains optimistic. He stated, “We are only halfway through, and while going to the next round is going to be difficult, we still have 90 minutes at home,”

The winner of this tie will face another Saudi Arabian team in the semi-finals. Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal are set to clash on Tuesday in the other quarter-final match in the western zone of the competition, which is divided into two geographical halves until the final.

With the second leg still to come, it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo and Al-Nassr can overcome their first-leg deficit and advance to the next stage of the Asian Champions League.

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