Al-Nassr faces Arkadag this Wednesday (18) in the return game of the Champions League Asiática II round of 16, at Al-Awwal Park, at Riade, at Arábia Saudita. The Saudi club arrives with a 1-0 lead achieved in the first leg, in which they won away from home without conceding a goal. The team only needs a draw to advance to the quarter-finals and maintains an unbeaten streak of eight consecutive victories in all competitions.
Coach Jorge Jesus chose not to list Cristiano Ronaldo for the confrontation, repeating the strategy adopted in the first game. The Portuguese, who recently turned 41, returned to the pitch last Saturday (14) after three games away and scored the 962nd goal in his official career, in the 2-0 victory over Al Fateh, for Campeonato Saudita. Agora, the striker is 38 goals away from reaching the historic mark of 1,000.
Arkadag, champion of Turcomenistão, faces a complicated situation and needs to win by at least two goals to reverse the aggregate score and continue in the competition. The Turkmen team is coming off irregular results, with just one victory in the last four matches played. The team is betting on defensive solidity to try to surprise the opponent in Riade.
Escalations and absences
Al-Nassr must enter the field with Bento in goal, a defense formed by Boushal, Sharari, Al-Amri and Ghareeb and Hamdam in attack. Jorge Jesus leads the team in search of a smooth classification.
The Arkadag has Charyyev in goal, a defensive line with Mamedov, Annaguliyev, Saparov and Arzuvguly, a midfield with Ballakov, Mergen Orazov is the coach responsible for the visiting team.
The match takes place at 6:15 pm local time in Riade (equivalent to 3:15 pm in Brasília time) and is broadcast on Disney+. Al-Nassr seeks to consolidate favoritism at home after the positive result in the first leg.
Positive sequence of Al-Nassr
The Saudi team is going through a period of high confidence with a series of eight consecutive victories. Esse performance includes games from Campeonato Saudita and the Asian competition. The 1-0 victory in the first leg, even with a mixed team, demonstrates the depth of the squad and the ability to maintain the level even without the main names.
Jorge Jesus has prioritized rotation in matches outside the country in Champions League Asiática II. Essa decision allows athletes to be preserved for more decisive domestic commitments. The squad has qualified options to cover occasional absences.
Arkadag challenge away from home
The representative of Turcomenistão faces great difficulty in advancing. The team needs an efficient offensive performance against a technically superior opponent with control over the field. Nas last matches, Arkadag showed defensive weaknesses in balanced games.
The need to attack opens up spaces that Al-Nassr can exploit in quick counterattacks. The Turkmen team seeks to surprise, but the current aggregate favors the Saudis. The focus is on avoiding goals conceded in the first minutes to maintain the pressure.
Return of Cristiano Ronaldo and search for the thousandth goal
Cristiano Ronaldo ended his absence of three games last Saturday and immediately contributed with a goal in the victory over Al Fateh. The goal marked the 962nd of his career in official matches for clubs and the Portuguese national team. The striker maintains a high goal average this season for Al-Nassr.
The absence in the Asian competition follows the pattern adopted by the coach for games outside the Arábia Saudita. Ronaldo actively participates in Campeonato Saudita, where he accumulates decisive goals. The 1,000 goal mark remains the main objective in the final stretch of his career.
Match and broadcast details
The clash takes place at Al-Awwal Park, the home stadium of Al-Nassr in Riade. The expectation is for a full house with fans supporting the classification. Kick-off takes place at 6:15 pm local time.
Fans can follow it on Disney+, the platform that holds the broadcast rights. The expectation involves a game controlled by the home team from the beginning.
Technical sheet
Competition: Champions League Asiática II – round of 16 (return game) Al-Nassr 1 x 0
