Kick-off delayed by Riyadh alert

Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence issued a safety warning 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the AFC Champions League Elite match between Al-Nassr and Neftchi Fergana at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, and kick-off was pushed back by an hour. Residents had received a text message on their phones warning of an aerial threat, and AFP correspondents reported hearing explosions in the city shortly before the match. The stadium announcer told spectators that the situation was under control and that the game would go ahead, asking them to stay in their seats. The sparse crowd remained in place while the teams waited in their dressing rooms. Reports also said a drone was intercepted outside the stadium before the start.

Missiles fired at Riyadh

The Saudi-led coalition said on X that it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh. AP reported that the coalition said it had twice intercepted and destroyed ballistic missiles launched on Monday, so the number of interceptions differs between accounts. At least three explosions could be heard in the city on Monday night. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence later said the danger had passed. The Houthis, who control Yemen's most populous areas including the capital Sanaa, said their target in Riyadh had been King Khalid International Airport.

Ronaldo's goal and the scarf

Angelo put Al-Nassr ahead in the 33rd minute with a deflected strike, and Cristiano Ronaldo doubled the lead nine minutes later. ANSA described it as the 981st goal of his career. The 41-year-old finished after Sadio Mane delivered a looping cross from the left, which Aiman Yahya directed into his path with his chest, and he lashed the ball into the bottom corner with a shot on the turn. Alisher Odilov pulled one back for Neftchi six minutes into the second half, but Ikromjon Alibaev was shown a red card for a foul on Mohamed Simakan in the 65th minute. An own goal by Anvarjon Gofurov 13 minutes later sealed the 3-1 win for the team coached by Ange Postecoglou. After the final whistle Ronaldo waved a Saudi scarf to the crowd, and images shared online showed him kissing the national emblem on the club shirt.

Airport strikes and the Portugal dispute

The match took place against a series of Houthi strikes on King Khalid International Airport. An attack on Saturday, 10 October, killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300, and another strike on Sunday, 11 October, killed one person and wounded 11. The airport remains closed. Recent attacks have also hit oil facilities, tankers and transport hubs in Saudi Arabia.

In Portugal, the national football federation (FPF) has opened a disciplinary process against Ronaldo and suspended him provisionally from the national team. The decision was taken on 9 October by the non-professional section of the Disciplinary Council and concerns events of 7 October, when Ronaldo left the national team training camp in Copenhagen. The decision is not a definitive conviction, and no further details of the proceedings are known. FPF president Pedro Proenca has said he wants Ronaldo back in the squad and described the dispute as a 'misunderstanding'. The federation's official social media accounts nonetheless posted a photo of Ronaldo in the Portugal shirt with a caption saying he had scored again for Al Nassr.