It’s game over for Al Nassr. Luis Castro and Co. have lost the Saudi Super Cup semi-final against Al Hilal. The matter further took a turn for the worse for the Knights of Najd in the Riyadh Derby as Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in the final moments. But what caught the eye of many was the Portuguese superstar almost punching the referee, courtesy of untelevised footage.

Clearly, the moment the referee took the red card out of his pocket and turned behind, Ronaldo had the ball in his hand and made a gesture of punching the referee. Even his two teammates who were surrounding the official were scared by the moment as they flinched at the 39-year-old’s gesture. However, somehow, Ronaldo controlled himself and brought his arm down. But how did the Al Nassr skipper end up getting sent off?

It all started after Al Nassr’s only substitute for the game, Abdulrahman Ghareeb, received a harsh challenge from Al Hilal’s Ali Albulayhi. As the rival’s No. 5 was collecting the ball, Ronaldo came running from behind and started snatching the ball from the rival defender. Infuriated with the 39-year-old’s way of taking the ball, Albulayhi confronted CR7 by bringing his head closer to the striker. However, that wasn’t a great idea, as Ronaldo, in an attempt to defend himself, elbowed Albulayhi, pushing him down on the ground.

This ignited a physical altercation among other players. Subsequently, while the matter was being cooled, Al Hilal players came running to seek justice. The official had no choice but to show the way out of the pitch. Notably, Ronaldo’s frustration can be understood, considering that he wasn’t happy with the decisions taken by the referee.

Were Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. subject to injustice by the officials against Al Hilal? 

Despite Al Hilal scoring first in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final clash, Al Nassr managed to net two goals. However, both goals were disallowed following VAR calls made by the referee. Otavio, the scorer, couldn’t hide his frustration, visibly distraught after the linesman raised the offside flag. The drama persisted even at halftime, with Al Nassr players confronting the match official for disallowing the goal. 

Ronaldo’s frustration resulted in him receiving a booking for protesting against the referee’s decision. The Al Nassr skipper appeared visibly dissatisfied with the booking, as he was seen shouting at the referee while walking to the dugout. Furthermore, his sending-off in the final minutes didn’t settle with him, as he made eyebrow-raising gestures while leaving the pitch. Now, his punching gestures also make sense. 

READ MORE: VIDEO- Al Nassr Star Frustrated With Cristiano Ronaldo for Selfishly Wasting Chances vs Al Hilal