Will Cristiano Ronaldo play for Al-Nassr against Istiklol? Reports provide update ahead of AFC Champions League clash

According to GOAL, Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo will be absent from their forthcoming AFC Champions League encounter with Istiklol on Tuesday, December 5. Despite his remarkable form this season, amassing 24 goals in 26 appearances, the striker won't be part of the squad for the clash.

Ronaldo's impressive tally includes three goals in the continental competition. However, Al-Nassr's head coach Luis Castro has opted to rest the 38-year-old for the Group E finale.

This decision comes as the Saudi giants, with a comfortable lead of 13 points from five undefeated matches, have already secured a spot in the last-16. With their game against Istiklol being a dead rubber, they have eliminated the necessity for Cristiano Ronaldo's presence in the lineup.

The decision to rest the legendary Portuguese forward also aligns with his current physical condition. Recently seen with a neck injury, which was evident during Al-Nassr's recent clash against Al-Hilal, a brief rest is deemed crucial for his recovery.

This rest period has also been strategically planned ahead of Al-Nassr's upcoming engagements, including a vital match against Al-Riyadh on Friday. Aside from this, they will hope to have Ronaldo available for the King Cup of Champions quarter-final against Al-Shabab.

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Cristiano Ronaldo embroiled in a $1 billion lawsuit over cryptocurrency promotion

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly ensnared in a legal battle with potential losses of about $1 billion (€917m). The Real Madrid legend was involved in promoting cryptocurrency firm Binance, and this lawsuit stems from allegations tied to that involvement.

The Portuguese legend's venture into the digital asset market included the launch of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) last year, in collaboration with the crypto exchange Binance. The BBC has now reported (via Football Espana) that a class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States in response to this. The suit accuses the Portuguese star of misleading promotion related to these virtual assets.

The NFTs, initially priced at $77 (€71) each, have plummeted to just $1 (€0.92) within a year, marking a staggering 98.7% devaluation. The lawsuit also highlights that Ronaldo's promotion led to a significant spike in searches for the associated crypto exchange, increasing by 500%.

In the United States, NFTs are considered "unregistered securities". Celebrities endorsing these products must legally disclose their compensation details, which Ronaldo reportedly failed to do.