Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been omitted from the squad for the club’s upcoming AFC Champions League away fixture against Pakhtakor in Uzbekistan.

The decision is part of head coach Ange Postecoglou’s plans to rotate his squad and manage the workload of key players.

New Telegraph reports that the situation also comes amid broader security concerns surrounding the region.

Al Nassr are scheduled to face Pakhtakor in Tashkent on Monday, but Ronaldo will not be part of the travelling squad for the continental encounter.

The Portuguese superstar comes into the fixture on the back of an impressive performance, having scored a hat-trick in the Saudi Pro League last week to take his extraordinary career goal tally to 985 for club and country.

Despite his recent form, Postecoglou has opted to prioritise player welfare as the team navigates a demanding fixture schedule.

Ronaldo is not the only notable absentee, as Kingsley Coman and Mohamed Simakan have also been left out of the squad for the important trip to Uzbekistan.