In the Saudi Super Cup semi-final, Al-Nassr’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo received a red card for elbowing an opponent during his team’s 2-1 defeat to Al-Hilal.
At 39 years old, Ronaldo was sent off in the 86th minute after allegedly swinging his elbow twice into the chest of Ali Al Bulayhi, who fell to the ground. Following the incident, the Portugal international appeared to gesture towards the referee before exiting the field.
This marks Ronaldo’s first red card since joining Al-Nassr in December 2022. At the time of his dismissal, Al-Nassr was trailing 2-0, with goals from Salem Al-Dawsari and Malcom. Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane scored a consolation goal for Al-Nassr in stoppage time.
Al-Hilal, who have won the Saudi Super Cup three times previously, will face Al-Ittihad in the final on Thursday. Earlier on Monday, Al-Ittihad secured a 2-1 victory over Al-Wehda in their semi-final, with goals from former Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema and Moroccan forward Abderrazak Hamdallah.