Cristiano Ronaldo receives huge welcome from fans in Iran ahead of ACL clash

Nassr`s Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo and Persepolis` Iranian defender Morteza Pouraliganji vie for the ball during the AFC Champions League group E football match between Persepolis FC and al-Nassr FC at Tehran`s Azadi stadium. Pic/AFP

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr reached the Iranian capital on Monday ahead of Saudi Arabia club's clash with Tehran-based club Persepolis in the AFC Champions League (ACL) 2023-24 group stage match.

Al Nassr has been placed in Group E along with Qatar's Al-Duhail SC, Tajikistan's FC Istiklol, and Persepolis. The draw of the 21st edition of ACL was held on August 24 In Kaula Lumpur in Malaysia.

In a video shared by Al Nassr's social media page, the crowds thronged the team bus to get a glimpse of Ronaldo.

The fans flooded the road and the Al Nassr team bus had to make its way very slowly.

A young fan was very emotional and was in tears holding a placard of the former Real Madrid player. People were also clicking pictures of the team bus to freeze the moment.

The 38-year-old Portuguese star player signed for Al Nassr on January 2023 after his shocking exit from his boyhood club Manchester United. Following his debut in the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo has so far scored 31 goals and made 27 assists.

Recently, Cristiano Ronaldo paired with star Senegalese striker Sadio Mane and Croatian striker Marcelo Brozovic for the Riyadh-based club. In the ongoing season of the Saudi league, Ronaldo has displayed a stellar performance after he started in all the first five matches for Al Nassr. In the 2023-24 season, Ronaldo has got the back of the net seven times and made five assists.

The Riyadh-based club is currently at sixth place in the Saudi league table with 12 points and has lost two games in six matches.

In the upcoming match of the 2023-2024 Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo's club will square off against Al-Ahli on Friday.

Al Nassr will take on Persepolis at 11.30 pm IST on Tuesday.

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