Some fixtures in soccer are more than just matches, they are wars. One of them is Al Hilal versus Al Nassr which has provided a lot of bittersweet moments this season. The last contest between the sides created havoc with the suspension of Cristiano Ronaldo, adding to the scrutiny of refereeing. But looks like this round is going to get even more engaging with the appointment of an external referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez. Known to officiate in La Liga, what else do we know about him and his earlier issues?

Meanwhile, Al Nassr’s attempts to win against their Riyadh rivals remain unsuccessful this season. Jorge Jesus’ team has dominated the show winning two out of two official games. But the team in yellow will hope for a change in fortunes with a foreign official.

Jose Sanchez Martinez: All you need to know about the referee for Al Nassr vs. Al Hilal

Martinez is a Spanish top-tier official who was born on 3rd October 1983 in Lorca, Spain. The 40-year-old may seem new to the Saudi soccer audience, but he has more than 23 years of experience behind him including El Clasico. Starting his career in the lower leagues in 2000, Martinez moved up the ranks to become an official in Segunda B in 2010. He was promoted to La Liga 2 in the next season and stayed for four years during which he had the chance to look over a game in Copa del Rey.

Subsequently, the Spaniards arrived in La Liga making his debut when Real Betis took on Sporting Gijón in August 2015. In addition, he is also in the elite category of FIFA’s referees and kicked off his international career in 2017 in the Euro Under-19 qualifiers before officiating in other big tournaments. However, despite the highs, his career has seen a few challenges, especially in big La Liga matches.

Controversies surrounding Sanchez Martinez

In 2019, Martinez faced a minor issue being called out for not giving Real Madrid a penalty against Barcelona amid a handball claim. However, it was in 2000 that he had to be dropped for a match after a few of his decisions in the game between FC Barcelona and Real Betis were criticized. During the game, Barcelona’s Clement Lenglet and Betis’ Nabil Fekir were sent off receiving two yellows and the latter was punished for his dissent on the first booking.

Moreover, in a recent game between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in December, he was again on the hot seat for not matching the clubs’ expectations on the pitch. Additionally, he had to intervene after the assistant referee Raul Cabanero was accused of spying on Barcelona’s locker room talks. Nevertheless, this will be his debut in the Middle East and things could get even hotter with Ronaldo taking a sarcastic dig about referees favoring Al Hilal.

Even though the result of the game may not mean anything to the context of the Saudi Pro League, it is a matter of pride for Al Nassr. With the desire to potentially become the only team to beat Al Hilal in a league game this season, it would be interesting to see if Martinez’s journey would go smoothly.