To watch JJ Gabriel at work inside a near-empty Leigh Sports Village each week feels akin to being given the first look at the next Oscar-winning movie from the back room of your local cinema.
Cristiano Ronaldo will be without Kingsley Coman and two other teammates for Al Nassr's clash with Al Khaleej, as the club manages its squad ahead of the AFC Champions League Elite opener. Cristiano Ronaldo is set to be without one of his key attacking options once again, as Kingsley Coman will not travel with the Al Nassr squad for Saturday’s Saudi Pro League clash against Al Khaleej. According to The Nassr Tribune, Coman continues his recovery from the hamstring injury he picked up during Al Nassr‘s match against Al Ittihad, when he was forced off in the 60th minute. An MRI scan confirmed the issue as a mild hamstring tear, with the Frenchman advised to take at least a week of rest before being reassessed. Coman won’t be the only absentee for the trip, as Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Ayman Yahya will also stay behind and miss out on the match, further thinning Ronaldo’s supporting cast for the fixture. The good news for Al Nassr is that Coman’s absence is expected to be short-lived, with the club’s medical staff targeting his return in time for the AFC Champions League Elite opener against Al Ain on September 15, a continental debut Ronaldo will be eager to have his full squad available for. Dammam 📍 pic.twitter.com/LlbLJaMnGU— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) September 11, 2026 Logistics are also being managed with that fixture in mind: rather than flying back to Riyadh after facing Al Khaleej in Dammam, the squad will travel directly to the UAE, a decision made by Ange Postecoglou to cut down on fatigue and give his players extra recovery time before kickoff against Al Ain. Postecoglou could rotate his squad against Al Khaleej With Al Nassr eager to start their AFC Champions League Elite campaign on the right foot against Al Ain just three days later, Postecoglou is reportedly expected to manage his squad’s workload against Al Khaleej, limiting minutes for some of his key players, Ronaldo included, to ensure the team arrives at peak fitness for the continental opener. Al Nassr came agonizingly close to continental glory last season, falling 1-0 to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final back in May. With Ronaldo and company now moving up to the more prestigious AFC Champions League Elite, the club is determined to put together a strong campaign in Asia’s top club competition after last season’s heartbreak.
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