Spanish Whistle, Saudi Showdown: Monuera Takes the Field for Al-Ahli vs. Al-Qadisiyah

Spanish Referee Monuera to Take Charge as Al-Ahli Face Al-Qadisiyah

The Saudi Pro League is set to host a high-stakes clash this Friday as Al-Ahli welcomes Al-Qadisiyah for round nine, with a new voice on the whistle. The match highlights the league’s ongoing push for high-quality officiating across all fixtures.

Al-Ahli remains undefeated this season, having played eight rounds with four draws, and they aim to narrow the gap to the top of the table. Al-Qadisiyah, meanwhile, are hoping for a positive result to boost their momentum after a challenging start to the campaign.

The Saudi Football Federation confirmed the match officials on X, underscoring the federation’s commitment to transparency and fair play in the mid-season run-in.

The central referee for the game is Jose Monuera of Spain, with Inigo Brito and Carlos Alvarez as his assistants, Xavier Alberola serving as the fourth official, and Cesar Soto along with Gudurith Romano in the VAR setup.

Monuera has not previously officiated in the Saudi Pro League this season. He has presided over six La Liga matches, bringing a long career into the match, including notable fixtures such as Barcelona against Mallorca and Real Madrid against Getafe in past campaigns.

He is widely remembered for sending off Jude Bellingham in a high-profile match last season, a decision that remains a talking point in football circles.

Although this is his first Saudi top-flight outing, Monuera does hold Arab football experience, having previously officiated a Saudi national team friendly in 2018 against Algeria, a match Saudi Arabia won 2-0.

Domestic refereeing duties for other Round 9 fixtures have been allocated to local crews. In the Al-Khulood against Al-Hazm game, Khaled Al-Trees will referee, assisted by Mohammed Al-Abkari and Abdul Rahim Al-Shamri, with Suleiman Al-Shamri as the fourth official and Mamdouh Al-Shedan and Yasser Al-Sultan handling VAR.

In the Al-Ittihad versus Al-Riyadh fixture, Shukri Al-Hanafoush will oversee play, with Ahmed Al-Taeq and Emad Askar as assistants, Mohammad Abu Shaghara as the fourth official, and Abdullah Al-Shary as VAR, aided by Khalaf Al-Shamri.

Ryan Hamad, a 23-year-old Ahli defender, is listed as unlikely to feature due to an injury picked up earlier in the season. He is undergoing a rehabilitation program and is a notable absentee for the clash with Al-Qadisiyah.

Hamad’s injury occurred during a match against Al-Najma at King Abdullah Sports City in Buraydah, with the defender departing on a stretcher and Zakaria Husawi coming on as his replacement. Coach Matias Jaissle subsequently reorganized the defence, moving other players to adapt to the unusual disruption.

Throughout this campaign Hamad has started several games for Ahli, but his absence from subsequent rounds—against Riyadh and Al-Ittihad—will impact the team’s plans. He has also missed the King’s Cup tie against Al-Batin and an AFC Champions League Elite fixture against Al-Sadd.

Since being promoted to the first team in 2021, Hamad has appeared 48 times for Ahli and is yet to open his scoring or assist tally, a stat that fans hope will change with more opportunities in the upcoming fixtures.

Punchline: If Monuera’s whistle starts blowing like a microwave, you know this game is heating up more than a kettle in a referee’s locker. Punchline two: Let’s hope the cards stay friendly—this isn’t a garage sale; it’s a football match, not a clearance sale for cautions.