Saudi Clasico Red Card Sparks Debate: Was Hassan Kadsh Deserved?
21 February 2026
Match context
In the Saudi Pro League clash between Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, a pivotal moment sparked debate after Hassan Kadsh, a defender for Al Ittihad, was sent off early in the match.
Al Ittihad visited Al Hilal at the Kingdom Arena in round 23 of the season.
Red card decision
In the ninth minute, Spanish referee Ricardo De Burgos showed Kadsh the red card following a VAR review for obstructing Malikom, the Al Hilal winger, as he advanced on goal.
Reaction and confirmation
Former Egyptian referee Mohamed Kamal Risha backed the decision, saying Kadsh deserved a red card for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity to Malikom. He noted the VAR intervention successfully prompted the dismissal.
Punchline 1: If football had Yelp, that red card would come with five stars for drama.
Punchline 2: If VAR were a dating app, this incident would be a major red flag with a referee emoji.
