Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of Al Nassr’s squad for their AFC Champions League match against Esteghlal.
Coach Stefano Pioli justified the Portuguese star’s absence by citing an injury, insisting that Ronaldo is not 100% fit and that he didn’t want to take any risks with “CR7.” However, the truth seems to be something entirely different, according to Gazeta Express.
The decision appears to be linked to an incident from 2023 when Al Nassr played against Persepolis in Iran.
Among the crowd of fans surrounding Ronaldo’s hotel in Tehran, hoping for a photo with the 40-year-old, was Iranian artist Fatemeh Hammami Nasrabadi, known for her paintings created using her feet.
While posing with her, the former Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus player kissed her on the forehead.
According to Iranian law, such an act with a foreign woman who is not a spouse is considered adultery, punishable by 100 lashes.
At the time, the match proceeded under assurances that Ronaldo would not face any repercussions.
However, things may have changed since then, and the Portuguese superstar seems unwilling to take any chances, opting to stay home and skip the trip with his team.