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| Ronaldo did not go to Iran to ensure safety. |
According to AS , the decision came after security concerns, especially after a tense incident during Al Nassr’s previous trip to Tehran last October.
At that time, hundreds of people blocked the bus of the Saudi Pro League representative, creating tense situations and threatening the safety of the players. Given the complicated situation and concerns regarding Ronaldo’s safety, Al Nassr decided not to bring the Portuguese superstar to Iran.
Last season, Al Nassr petitioned to move the match to a neutral venue and the AFC approved. The match was moved to Dubai.
This season, Al Nassr continued to propose to hold the match at a neutral venue. This time, the AFC leadership refused and promised to ensure the best security. However, Al Nassr could not rest assured and decided not to register their number one striker, despite the absence of many other players due to injury, including Otavio, Laporte, Abdulrahman Gharib, Ali Lajami, Abdullah Al Khaibari and Sultan Al Ghannam.
Ronaldo’s absence in Tehran is not the first time this season, as he also did not participate in the match against Persepolis in the final round of the qualifying round.
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