Cristiano Ronaldo's pursuit of 1,000 career goals will have to wait a game.
The Al-Nassr star did not travel to Uzbekistan for his side's AFC Champions League match against Pakhtakor FC on Monday, Nov. 2.
Ronaldo isn't injured, but is being rested along with two other teammates amid a busy stretch of matches.
"I decided to rest Ronaldo, [Kingsley] Coman and [Mohamed] Simakan, given the congestion of matches and the frequency of travel," Al-Nassr coach Ange Postecoglou said in his pre-match press conference.
How many goals does Cristiano Ronaldo have?
Cristiano Ronaldo continued to move closer to the 1,000-goal milestone by scoring a hat trick in Al-Nassr's 5-3 win over Al-Kholood on Thursday, Oct. 29.
The treble took the 41-year-old to 985 career goals as he moves to just 15 away from the milestone.
Should Ronaldo reach 1,000 goals, he would be the first player to do so in official senior matches.
When will Cristiano Ronaldo play next?
Ronaldo should be back in action for Al-Nassr's Saudi Pro League match against Al Hazem on Friday, Nov. 6.
Defending league champion Al-Nassr has started the season well, posting a 9W-1D-1L record through its first 11 games.
Al-Nassr is currently in third place, two points back of first-place Al-Hilal.
Pakhtakor vs. Al Nassr: Time, TV, streaming
- When: Monday, Nov. 2
- Time: 8:45 a.m. ET
- Where: Pakhtakor Central Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- TV/streaming: AFC Hub on YouTube, subject to regional restrictions
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why isn't Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Al Nassr vs. Pakhtakor today?
