Missile alert delays Ronaldo’s Asian Champions League match in Riyadh

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al‑Nassr had their Asian Champions League match in Riyadh delayed by an hour on Monday after the Saudi‑led military coalition said it had intercepted a missile fired by the Houthis.

The game at Alawwal Park was scheduled to kick off at 9.15pm local time with a sparse crowd in the stands for the fixture against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana. The stadium announcer told spectators the situation was safe, that the match would be played and asked people to remain in their seats, while the television channel broadcasting the match announced a one‑hour delay. Saudi Arabia has recently faced a series of attacks from the Iran‑backed group, with strikes on oil facilities, tankers and transport hubs, including a string of lethal hits on Riyadh’s international airport.

Shortly before play was due to begin, the sound of explosions was reported in Riyadh. At the same time, Riyadh residents received an alert on their phones stating: "The region is exposed to a hostile aerial threat. Please remain calm and stay at home or in a safe place, away from windows and doors, and continue to follow civil defence instructions."

The Saudi‑led coalition later issued a statement on X announcing the "interception and destruction" of a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis.

Play eventually went ahead and Al‑Nassr beat Neftchi Fergana 3-1. The incident did not seem to affect Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the 981st goal of his career just before half‑time as the Saudi Arabian champions secured the win.

The 41-year-old was provisionally suspended by Portugal on Saturday after walking out on the national team during the international break.