Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s Call-Out on Controversial Refereeing, Al Ittihad Demands for Foreign Officials in Saudi Super Cup—Reports

‘Refereeing’ seems to have become a talking point in the Saudi Arabian soccer landscape. Just days ago, the face of Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo took a swipe at his rival Al Hilal’s 12-point lead in the Saudi Pro League following a controversial refereeing decision. Now, Al Ittihad appears to have been similarly affected, as they seek a foreign referee for their Super Cup match.

Although the SF against Al Wehda is scheduled to be played on April 8, Al Ittihad is leaving no stone unturned in their pre-match preparations. According to information from a source on X, Al Ittihad is making a concerted effort to maintain fairness and address past controversies by advocating for the inclusion of a foreign referee. With Marcelo Gallardo and his team currently trailing in the Roshn Saudi League, occupying 4th place, no chances are being taken as they have appealed to the tournament’s board regarding fair officiating to enhance their chances of reaching the finals of the Saudi Super Cup.

Notably, this isn’t the first time a foreign referee has been demanded for a match. Al Nassr also once kept a similar request in front of the league’s stakeholders after their talisman Ronaldo scored two goals and was later denied. In fact, this incident is just one in a series of officiating errors that have plagued numerous league matches in the past.

This season, Al Hilal has become a subject of controversy as referees in the Middle Eastern league are allegedly favoring Jorge Jesus’ side. Their 14-point lead is being called out because of the controversial officiating. It even left Cristiano Ronaldo flabbergasted as he candidly shared his feelings about the referees’ partiality towards Al Hilal.

While Al Ittihad plays a safe game, what did Cristiano Ronaldo say about the referees?

On March 8, Al Hilal clinched an emphatic 1-3 victory against Al Riyadh with the help of two penalties. However, Cristiano Ronaldo was not satisfied with this outcome. In an Instagram post that showcased the controversial incident, the former Real Madrid star commented with 9 laughing emojis. As for the incident, the video showcased Al Hilal striker Aleksandar Mitrovic attempting to strike the ball while on the move but mishandling it. 

READ MORE: Huge Injury Scare for Al Nassr as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Bandaged Finger Raises Alarm Post AFC Champions League Disappointment

It appeared that he was disrupted by an opposing defender. Both players ended up on the ground with minimal contact, yet the referee deemed it a penalty and even issued a yellow card to the defender. Notably, CR7 was not alone in his criticism, as Luis Castro also lambasted officials for awarding 3 penalties in one game. Perhaps these incidents have prompted Al Ittihad to seek assurance from foreign referees. Let’s see if their request is approved by the stakeholders.