Cristiano Ronaldo requests foreign referee with FIFA World Cup experience to officiate Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal clash: Reports
Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly forwarded a request to the Saudi Pro League authorities for a foreign referee to officiate their upcoming match against Al-Hilal.
The Portuguese forward wants Colombian official Wilmar Roldan to take charge of the blockbuster clash between the Saudi giants on Friday, December 1, as per MARCA.
Since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, the league body has strived to ensure that top-notch facilities are put in place. This has also included the referees, with foreign officials often contracted to take charge of matches involving the forward.
Al-Nassr are set to face Al-Hilal in what promises to be a blockbuster between first and second-placed teams in the league. Cristiano Ronaldo wants a top-quality referee to take charge of the match, and having seen Roldan in action, he has asked that he be appointed once more.
Wilmar Roldan was the official in charge of the match between Al-Nassr and Al-Raed in September, and the match ended 3-1 in favor of Ronaldo's side. The 38-year-old was on the scoresheet in the encounter as his side eased to victory against the ten men of Al-Raed.
Roldan is a top referee and was ranked as the seventh-best in the world in 2015. He has experience officiating matches at the highest level, including at the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2018. He was in charge of two matches in each tournament and officiated at the Olympics in 2012 and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2015.
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a good number of foreign referees officiate in his matches since his arrival in Saudi Arabia. The most notable of the referees include Michael Oliver, Daniele Orsato and Mateu Lahoz, all of whom have officiated in the UEFA Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Nassr prepared for crunch Al-Hilal clash
Cristiano Ronaldo has largely carried Al-Nassr this season, with a number of stunning performances under his belt. The 38-year-old has continued to prove his quality for Luis Castro's side, and the evidence can be seen on the goalscoring charts.
Ronaldo will now face the biggest test of his season so far when he leads his team out for the clash against Al-Hilal. The league leaders, despite being without Neymar, look untouchable and are playing some scintillating football.
Al-Hilal have not lost a match this season, and this is a testament to their quality and performance level this season. Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr will come up against some of the best players in the world in Bono, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Malcolm, and others.
A win for the hosts will send them seven points clear of their rivals in the race for the title. Al-Nassr know that if they win, they will move to just one point behind Al-Hilal, increasing their possibility of catching them.