 "Cristiano Ronaldo had skipped the FIFA Club World Cup last month. Image: Reuters")
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi club Al Nassr will face Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Goa in the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two. The draw was held on Friday, August 15, and Al Nassr were placed in Group D along with FC Goa, Al Zawra’a from Iraq, and FC Istiklol from Tajikistan.
Will Ronaldo play in India?
This means Ronaldo is set to play his first official match against an Indian club if he remains fit. However, there are doubts about whether he will travel to India for the first leg of this fixture, as reports suggest his contract has a clause that limits some away trips. Still, fans can watch him play against FC Goa in the home leg in Riyadh.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment for FC Goa. To host Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the biggest game in Indian club football history,” club CEO Ravi Puskur told The Associated Press.
“For Indian football, this is historic. We are here on merit, and a match like this gives us the chance to show that we can compete on the continental stage, becoming part of the sport’s biggest narratives,” Puskur added.
Meanwhile, some reports also suggest that Al Nassr will send their U21 team for the AFC Champions League Two fixture against FC Goa.
The two teams will meet twice in the group stage, both home and away. For FC Goa, this will be one of the biggest matches in their history since the club was formed in 2014. FC Goa reached the group stage after beating Al Seeb of Oman 2-1 in the playoffs on Wednesday, August 13.
India’s Mohun Bagan Super Giant are also in the competition. They are drawn in Group C, where they will face Sepahan SC of Iran, Al Hussein of Jordan, and Ahal FC from Turkmenistan.
This comes amid the ongoing crisis in Indian football, where the premier domestic league ISL has been suspended due to uncertainty over the renewal of an organising agreement between AIFF and commercial partner FSDL. Several clubs have already halted operations and stopped salaries.