Cristiano Ronaldo had a triumphal welcome in Tehran, where tomorrow evening at the helm of his team, Al Nassr, will play a match of Champions League of Asia against the local team of PersepolisThe match itself is an event, made possible by the recent diplomatic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic after years of frost, but it is the presence of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner that has already sparked enthusiasm among the many Iranian football fans at the airport.
Large 'Welcome' banners featuring portraits of the Al Nassr legend—who was immediately gifted a Persian carpet upon his arrival by the Persepolis management—were hung on the bridges of the main roads crossing the capital, which is unaccustomed to welcoming international stars due to the country's isolation.
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For the next 24 hours, Al-Nassr players will be placed under the security of an elite security unit specialized in presidential travel, tasked with preventing any contact between fans and players of the Saudi team. Furthermore, no fans will be allowed to attend tomorrow's match at the enormous 90-seat Azadi Stadium, except on television, but not for security reasons. The match will be played behind closed doors due to a sanction imposed on the home club by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for a social media post deemed offensive towards India.
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