To replace Ronaldo in Asia: Postecoglou calls up five talents from the Isuzu UTE A-League

Can "the Galactico" pull off the win?

Ange Postecoglou has called up five players from Al-Nassr's under-21 side, who compete in the Joy Elite League, for the club's upcoming Asian trip.

Al-Nassr travel to face Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor on Monday in the fourth round of the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite.

The Australian has opted to rest several key men for the journey to Tashkent, which departed on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo stays behind, as do the Frenchmen Kingsley Coman and Mohamed Simakan.

To cover those absences, Postecoglou has handed opportunities to members of the under-21 squad. Abdulrahman Sufyani, Rakan Al-Ghamdi and Awad Aman make the trip, along with goalkeepers Abdulhadi Alwan and Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi.

A win is the priority for the coach, one that would lift his side up the West group. Al-Nassr sit ninth on 3 points from one win and one defeat, and they still have a postponed match against the UAE's Al-Wasl in hand.

The timing is awkward. Postecoglou's under-21s face their own big game in the Joy Elite League, travelling to Al-Khaleej on Sunday in the ninth round.

Al-Nassr's youngsters sit eleventh in the Saudi Under-21 League on 10 points from 3 wins, one draw and two defeats, with two postponed matches still to play.