Cristiano Ronaldo will sit out Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League Two second-leg clash against Arkadag on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 and this time, it’s a purely tactical decision.
Manager Jorge Jesus confirmed that the 41-year-old is being rested to manage his workload after a busy run of games. Al Nassr also shared the update on their official X handle, making it clear there are no fitness issues or internal problems behind the decision.
Jorge Jesus has decided to rest Cristiano Ronaldo for tomorrow’s game against Arkadag.
Ronaldo was similarly rested for the first leg in Turkmenistan, which Al Nassr won 1–0, giving them a slim but valuable advantage heading into the return fixture in Riyadh.
The move fits into a broader management plan agreed between Ronaldo and the coaching staff. Reports suggest the club intend to rest their captain for around 25% of matches this season, keeping him fresh for key league games and long-term targets including the 2026 World Cup.
This comes just days after Ronaldo marked his 41st birthday and made headlines again by scoring his 962nd career goal in a 2–0 win over Al Fateh on February 14. That strike underlined that, when he does play, he’s still decisive.
However, Ronaldo’s recent absences haven’t all been about rotation. His earlier “protest” against perceived transfer spending imbalances in the Saudi Pro League, particularly involving Al Hilal, raised eyebrows and sparked debate about league balance.
This time, though, softfootball reported that Jorge Jesus insists the decision is simple: manage the minutes, protect the body, and target the biggest games.
With Al Nassr holding a narrow aggregate lead over Arkadag, the focus now is on getting the job done even without their biggest star on the pitch.
