Referee Stirs a Firestorm: Al-Nassr Escapes Red in a Saudi Pro League Clash

Controversial call in the Saudi Pro League

Saad Al-Nassr’s performance in the clash with Al-Ettifaq saw him escape a harsher sanction than the yellow card he received in the Saudi Pro League. He was cautioned in the first half of the match, part of round twelve, while some Al-Ettifaq players urged a red card for a hard challenge on Madallah Al-Alyan.

What the expert says

Mohammad Kamal Risha, an officiating analyst for the Saudi daily Al-Riyadiyah, argued that the referee erred by retracting the red card, given the violent contact with an Al-Ettifaq player. He added that the VAR review was another misstep.

He noted that the decision to keep the dispute unresolved was incorrect and inflamed fans, especially after a similar red card for Roger Ibanez of Al-Ahli in a recent match against Al-Fayha.

The upcoming fixture will see Al-Ahli face Al-Nassr in January, keeping the officiating debate alive as these two teams prepare for the next round.

Punchline: If VAR ever takes a coffee break, the game still goes on and someone wonders what happened to the red card.

Punchline: Sniper-level precision is great in theory, until the whistle sounds and everyone debates again.