Al-Nassr head coach Ange Postecoglou is expected to make two changes to his starting line-up for Monday’s AFC Champions League Elite meeting with Pakhtakor, according to a report published on Sunday.
The Saudi club will travel to face the Uzbek side in the fourth round of the competition, with the match scheduled for 2 November 2026.
Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiyah, citing a private source, reports that Abdulilah Al-Amri is likely to return to the centre of defence alongside Inigo Martinez. Al-Amri was left out of the starting line-up for Al-Nassr’s most recent match, a 5-3 victory over Al-Kholood in the 12th round of the Roshn Saudi League on Thursday.
Mohammed Simakan partnered Martinez in that match, while Al-Amri remained on the substitutes’ bench. The expected defensive change would therefore see Al-Amri restored to the starting side for the trip to Pakhtakor.
Al-Nassr are also set to welcome back Portugal midfielder Samu Costa, who has completed a suspension imposed because of an accumulation of yellow cards. He missed the game against Al-Kholood after being booked during the team’s meeting with Al-Faisaly in the 11th round.
Postecoglou opted to rest Cristiano Ronaldo, Kingsley Coman and Mohammed Simakan for the Al-Kholood fixture. The decision came as Al-Nassr faced a demanding sequence of matches and travel, with the coaching staff seeking to reduce the physical workload on the three players before the club’s upcoming commitments.
The Australian manager will be aiming for a victory against Pakhtakor to improve Al-Nassr’s position in the Western Region group. The club currently sit ninth with three points from one win and one defeat, while they still have a postponed fixture against the United Arab Emirates’ Al Wasl to play.
