The Clasico Referee Myth: Was the Call Out of This World?
6 February 2026
Referee of the Clasico opens the debate.
Match Context and Result
The Saudi Pro League clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad, played Friday night as part of round 21, ended 2-0 to Al-Nassr. Al-Ittihad stood at 34 points, sliding to seventh in the standings.
The standout moment came in the 12th minute when the ball struck Nassr defender Mohamed Simekan's hand, but the referee did not award a penalty.
Reactions and Analysis
Former Al-Ittihad defender Hamad Al-Mantashri said the team was technically suffering and that the coach hadn't prepared properly for the match.
He added that the loss stemmed from several factors, including officiating decisions and the coach's tactical approach, which focused mainly on wing play.
He also suggested that Jesus respected the club and used good ideas, while the coach failed to innovate. On the referee's decisions, he noted that while most agree Al-Ittihad deserved a penalty, the official made a strange call even after reviewing the footage. He concluded that the return of video assistance contributed to the loss by not being used consistently.
Punchline 1: That call was so off-target, even a GPS would need backup. Punchline 2: If this is football, then VAR must be a magician—now you see the call, now you don’t.
