Controversial World Cup referee who angered Lionel Messi to officiate crunch Cristiano Ronaldo clash in Saudi title race

CRISTIANO RONALDO and Al Nassr’s crunch Saudi League title match against Al Ittihad will be refereed by Mateu Lahoz, who managed to anger Lionel Messi at the World Cup.

Card-happy Lahoz has been officiating LaLiga matches since 2008.

And he has hit the headlines more recently for angering Messi and the Argentina camp at the World Cup.

Lahoz brandished a record-breaking 18 yellow cards during Argentina’s quarter-final clash with the Netherlands.

Messi said in the aftermath: “I don’t want to speak about referees because after they will sanction you. But people saw what happened.”

The Argentine captain, who went on to lift the golden trophy, added: “I think FIFA must take care of this, it cannot put a referee like that for a match of such magnitude, of such importance.

“The referee cannot fail to be up to the task.”

After returning from the winter tournament, Lahoz caused a stir again when he brought out 15 yellow cards, TWO reds and even awarded a late penalty to visitors Espanyol as they stole a 1-1 draw at city rivals Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Lahoz will now referee a crunch game in Saudi between Al Nassr – where Ronaldo is now playing his trade – and title rivals Al Ittihad, according to .

There are just two points between league leaders Al Nassr and second-place Al Ittihad going into Thursday’s clash.

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 The 48-year-old will be a familiar face to Ronaldo.

Lahoz would have taken charge of many Real Madrid games when the Portuguese star was at the club between 2009 and 2018.

Ronaldo has eight goals in six Al Nassr appearances.