Why Cristiano Ronaldo is missing Al Nassr's Asian Champions League clash

Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Al Nassr's upcoming AFC Champions League Elite clash against Pakhtakor in Uzbekistan, despite scoring a brilliant hat trick in his latest Saudi Pro League appearance.

The 41 year old Portuguese superstar has been left out of the travelling squad for Monday's (November 2) match in Tashkent.

And he is not the only big name missing.

Al Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou has also decided to leave out French duo Kingsley Coman and Mohamed Simakan.

Why is Ronaldo missing?

According to Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah, Postecoglou has opted to rest some of his key players as Al Nassr navigate a demanding schedule across domestic and continental competitions.

The decision is understood to be part of the Australian manager's plan to manage player fatigue and keep his stars fresh for upcoming matches.

There has been no confirmed report of an injury behind Ronaldo's absence.

Instead, young forward Abdulrahman Sufyani has been included in the travelling squad.

The decision will certainly disappoint fans in Uzbekistan, where Ronaldo's expected visit had generated considerable excitement.

Ronaldo missing after hat trick heroics

Interestingly, Ronaldo's absence comes just days after another remarkable performance.

The five time Ballon d'Or winner scored a hat trick as Al Nassr defeated Al Kholood 5 to 3 in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday.

His three goals took his career tally to 985, leaving him just 15 away from the historic 1,000 goal milestone.

Joao Felix was equally impressive, providing four assists in the same match.

Despite Ronaldo's excellent form, Postecoglou has decided to give his star striker a break.

Al Nassr have collected three points from their opening two AFC Champions League Elite matches and will be hoping to improve their position against Pakhtakor.

When will Ronaldo play again?

Ronaldo could return when Al Nassr face Al Hazem in the Saudi Pro League on Friday, November 6.

However, his participation will depend on Postecoglou's team selection.

For now, Al Nassr will have to face Pakhtakor without their biggest star as they look to continue their continental campaign.