Who Is the Referee For Al Nassr Vs Al Hilal’s King Cup Final? Meet Dario Herrera & His Controversial Past, From Death Threats To Suspensions

It’s the most exciting game to end a momentous season. Saudi soccer will see two of their best yet bitter rivals this year, Al Nassr and Al Hilal, take on each other in the King Cup final. Already setting the tone by expressing concerns over refereeing issues, Al Nassr fans will head into the game a bit disappointed. Reason? Referee Dario Herrera, who dealt with a few controversies earlier. But who is Herrera, and how is he expected to stir up the contest between the two Saudi Pro League monsters?

Coming to the contest, Al Nassr will believe that they can salvage a trophy this season. Cristiano Ronaldo is back in form and despite the undisputed advantage for Jorge Jesus’ team this season, the club in yellow gave them a scare in the last game. But all eyes will be on Herrera, as he is expected to be under scrutiny.

All you need to know about Dario Herrera: The arbitrator for Al Nassr vs Al Hilal match

Dario Herrera hails from Andacollo, Neuquén, Argentina. Born on February 24, 1985, the South American referee was seen at a major level during the 2010–2011 season in Argenitna’s second-tier Primera Nacional. The referee further moved up to the first division in 2015 and has made over 195 appearances in the Primera División. However, Herrera’s experience is not limited to Argentinian soccer.

The 39-year-old became a FIFA official in 2015. Although not in many games, but he has officiated in various tournaments, including the South American World Cup qualifiers, and the CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament, apart from the Copa Libertadores. With 440 matches to his name, he has handed out an astonishing 2146 yellow cards and 78 red cards in one go in his career. This, coupled with a few other reasons, can worry the fans.

Earlier issues surrounding Herrera and the reason for Al Nassr’s concern

The Argentine was involved in a few unique controversies. Although there weren’t any lapses from the referee’s side, Herrera underwent a bizarre incident while officiating the 2015 Copa Libertadores game between Boca Juniors and River Plate. Four players in the game were reportedly attacked with a spray consisting of acid and pepper and the game had to be called off after the incident. Additionally, in another weird controversy, Herrera in 2021 reportedly claimed that Lanus striker Lautaro Acosta threatened to harm him. But how does he worry Al Nassr supporters?

Even though it has nothing to do with his technical ability, the fact that Herrera is an Argentine can open some doors for post-match talks. In 2022, Ronaldo’s Portuguese teammates Bruno Fernandes and Pepe blamed another Argentinian official for their loss against Morocco, citing the rivalry between CR7 and Lionel Messi. Additionally, the player recently requested fair arbitration in tomorrow’s game after calling out the standards this season which brings all the attention to Herrera tonight. But with all the pressure, do you think the game will end without any issues today? Let us know in the comments.