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n a closely contested match, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr suffered a 1-0 defeat against Al-Ain in the first leg of their Asian Champions League quarterfinal on Monday. Despite Ronaldo's return from suspension, a first-half goal from Moroccan forward Soufiane Rahimi tilted the balance in favor of one-time champion Al-Ain.

Ronaldo, who missed a Saudi Pro League match as a disciplinary measure, couldn't prevent Al-Nassr from falling behind in the crucial encounter. The Portuguese star was penalized for an alleged offensive gesture made during a previous game against Al-Shabab, which led to him sitting out the league match on Thursday.

The video footage, showing Ronaldo cupping his ear and making a gesture near his pelvis, was believed to be in response to Al-Shabab fans chanting the name of his longtime soccer rival, Lionel Messi. Returning to the lineup, Ronaldo came close to equalizing in the sixth minute with an overhead kick. In the dying moments, he attempted a lob from the halfway line, narrowly missing the post. Another close-range shot was saved by Al-Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa.

Despite Ronaldo's efforts, Al-Nassr faced challenges throughout the match, with Al-Ain's fans engaging in similar gestures. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star found himself with limited opportunities as Al-Ain had two goals disallowed for offside.

The game concluded on a sour note for Al-Nassr as Aymeric Laporte, the former Manchester City defender, was shown a red card in stoppage time for violent conduct. Laporte's expulsion means he will miss the crucial second leg, adding to the woes of Al-Nassr.

“We are only halfway through, and while going to the next round is going to be difficult, we still have 90 minutes at home,” commented Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro, expressing optimism despite the setback.

The defeat means Al-Nassr faces an uphill battle in the return leg scheduled for next Monday in Riyadh. Al-Ain, led by former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo, holds the advantage with the 1-0 lead but will need to stay vigilant in the face of Ronaldo's potential comeback.

The winner of this quarterfinal tie is slated to face Saudi opposition in the semifinals. Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal will go head-to-head on Tuesday in the second quarterfinal in the western zone, as the tournament progresses towards determining the finalists in the prestigious Asian Champions League.