Cristiano Ronaldo is on the verge of lifting his first official and first international title with Al Nassr when they face Gamba Osaka on Saturday in the AFC Champions League Two final. Reports from Saudi Arabia indicate that Marcelo Brozovic has been ruled out due to injury, though Kingsley Coman is expected to be included in the matchday squad.
According to Saudi outlet Al-Riyadiyah, manager Jorge Jesus decided to leave Brozovic out of the call-up as the team’s omitted foreign player. Conversely, the report indicates that both Coman and Angelo Gabriel, who were previously injury doubts, have been called up by the coach.
In addition to Brozovic, Abdullah Al-Khaibari was not called up as he continues to recover from a muscle injury sustained during practice prior to the dramatic 1-1 draw against Al Hilal. However, Jesus will be able to count on Abdulelah Al Amri, who featured in the last Saudi Pro League match but remained a doubt for Saturday’s final due to fatigue.
Al Nassr set to make history
It could be a historic day for Al Nassr. Beyond the chance for Ronaldo to secure his first official trophy since joining the club, they could become the first Saudi Arabia team to win the AFC Champions League Two.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goal for Al Nassr. (Getty Images)
The occasion could be even more remarkable as Al Nassr have the potential to secure two titles on the same day. If Al Hilal fail to defeat Neom in league play, Ronaldo’s side would be crowned the new Saudi Pro League champions, as they could then add the AFC title to their haul by defeating Gamba Osaka later that evening.
Alternative lineup to face Gamba Osaka?
Despite the magnitude of the match, reports from Saudi Arabia suggest Cristiano Ronaldo might not start for Al Nassr against Gamba Osaka. The manager is reportedly considering an alternative lineup to manage player fatigue ahead of the season finale against Damac.
In this scenario, Jesus reportedly plans to start Abdullah Al-Hamdan, who serves as Ronaldo’s natural replacement on the pitch. The report also identified usual substitutes Hayder Abdulkareem, Abdulrahman Ghareeb, Ali Al-Hassan, Saad Al-Nasser, and Sultan Al-Ghannam as potential starters for the final.
