After scoring goals back-to-back, Cristiano Ronaldo will spearhead Al Nassr’s attack against Istiklol in the second group stage encounter of the Asian Cup.

Ronaldo has participated in 15 games since the start of August, so there’s no reason why he shouldn’t play today in the Asian Champions League against Istiklol. After two games (including the play-off round), there is still no goal in the tournament, which gives CR7 a great incentive to celebrate when they meet the Tajikistan squad.

Al Nassr’s starting lineup for the first group stage encounter against Persepolis is probably going to be the same. As a result, Anderson Talisca—who has scored seven goals in his last five games—is not included among the five foreign players who have signed up for the game. These positions are occupied by midfielders Aymeric Laporte, Marcelo Brozovic, Otavio, who plays attacking midfield, and Ronaldo and Sadio Mane, who play strike.

Coach Luis Castro continues to give priority to the finest players and the unanticipated absence in the Asian Cup despite the Al Nassr squad rotating in the Saudi King’s Cup match against Ohod (with Ronaldo and Brozovic taking a break). It is a sad fate for Talisca. The Brazilian striker, who has gelled so well with Ronaldo, must now make place for the excellent winger Abdulrahman Ghareeb.

Predicted lineup:

Al Nassr: Al Aqidi; Ghislian Konan, Laporte, Al-Fatil, Al Ghannam; Brozovic, Al-Khaibari; Ghareeb, Otavio, Sadio Mane; Cristiano Ronaldo

Istiklol Dushanbe: Yatimov, Islomov, Kartashyan, Gogoua, Novoselec, Dzhalilov, Beganovic, Dzhalilov, Panshanbe, Sebai và Kamolov