Will Ronaldo feature? Al Nassr take on Al Wasl in Dubai this weekend

Dubai: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will travel to Dubai on Sunday where they will take on Al Wasl in the first-leg of the AFC Champions League Two quarter-finals.

Taking place at Zebeel Stadium, the match is scheduled to kick-off at 6pm (local time).

The Saudi Pro League (SPL) leaders are finally set to travel to Dubai after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) previously postponed both legs of the competition, originally scheduled for March 4 and 11, due to the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.

Can fans expect to watch Ronaldo?

Dubai fans have a genuine chance of seeing Ronaldo in action when Al Nassr take on Al Wasl this weekend, but his involvement is not from guaranteed.

The five-time UEFA Champions League winner has featured just once in the AFC Champions League Two this season, with that appearance coming in a 5–1 win over Al-Zawraa in the club’s final group game back in November.

For much of the campaign, Al Nassr have opted to rest their captain in continental fixtures, prioritising the SPL as he continues his pursuit of a first league title with the club.

However, the situation may now be shifting given that the 41-year-old has only recently returned from injury, and with Al Nassr sitting top of the league heading into a crucial run-in, there is a growing sense that he needs minutes to regain full sharpness. From that perspective, this fixture could offer the perfect opportunity to build rhythm and match fitness.

That balance between caution and necessity makes his potential involvement all the more intriguing. While rotation has been the norm in this competition, both Ronaldo and the club may now view additional game time as beneficial, raising the likelihood that Dubai fans could see the Ballon d'Or winner and Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer take to the pitch.

Which other Al Nassr stars could be on show?

Even if Ronaldo is absent, Dubai fans will still have plenty of star power to look forward to given Al Nassr’s stacked squad.

The likes of João Félix, formerly of Atlético Madrid, with spells at Chelsea and Barcelona, and Sadio Mané, who won the Premier League and Champions League at Liverpool before a move to Bayern Munich, have regularly featured in the competition both home and away.

Their pedigree at the highest level ensures that, even without their captain, supporters can still expect a high-quality spectacle at Zebeel Stadium.