Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Monday’s AFC Champions League encounter against Pakhtakor in Tashkent as head coach Ange Postecoglou opts to rest key players.
The decision is also understood to be influenced by broader security concerns in the region.
Ronaldo heads into the break on the back of a stunning hat-trick in the Saudi Pro League last week, taking his career goal tally for club and country to 985.
However, with a demanding fixture schedule in mind, Postecoglou has prioritised player welfare ahead of the continental clash.
Kingsley Coman and Mohamed Simakan have also been excluded from the travelling squad for the trip to Uzbekistan.
