The incident involving Cristiano Ronaldo during a match with Al-Nassr has stirred up controversy. In the 87th minute, with his team trailing 2-0, Ronaldo’s frustration boiled over as he clashed with opponents.

He attempted to pick up the ball for a throw-in, leading to a confrontation with Ali Al-Bulaihi, during which Ronaldo shoved and appeared to elbow his opponent. Despite the tense situation, he managed to halt himself from escalating it further.

The 39-year-old’s protests continued as he sarcastically applauded the referee and gestured towards the crowd as he walked off the pitch. This behavior came after he had already received a yellow card and been involved in disputes with the officials earlier in the game, particularly over a disallowed goal.

Al-Nassr’s head coach, Luis Castro, defended Ronaldo, claiming that the red card was unwarranted and criticized the video referee for not calling the match referee to review the expulsion. On the other hand, opposing boss Jorge Jesus expressed sympathy for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Looking ahead, Al-Nassr’s focus turns to their upcoming league clash and the King Cup of Champions, where they face Al-Khaleej in the semi-finals. The King Cup of Champions also features a clash between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal, the dominant force in Saudi football.