An intriguing moment took place between Al Nassr vs Persepolis match on matchday 5 of Group E of the 2023/2024 Asian Champions League on Monday. Namely, when the Portuguese ace striker Cristiano Ronaldo helped persuade the referee to cancel the penalty awarded to him while playing at home at Al-Awwal Park Stadium, Al Nassr had the upper hand in this match. They are already far ahead at the top of Group E of the Asian Champions League, only needing one additional point to ensure they qualify for the knockout phase.

The match was tight, Persepolis played freely to hunt for victory. The visiting team is also chasing a ticket to qualify, an additional three points will help them. Interestingly, when the match had only been running for two minutes, Al Nassr attacked the opponent's penalty box. The ball from the right wing was passed to Ronaldo who was ready to receive it in the penalty box.

The 38-year-old lost the ball, but then the ball threw up in the middle of a circle of players. At that time Ronaldo was fighting over the ball with an opposing player. At first glance, Ronaldo can be seen touching the ball first, then his foot is immediately swept by the opposing player. The referee immediately blew the whistle for a violation, a penalty for Al Nassr.

Interestingly, when the Persepolis players surrounded the referee to protest, Ronaldo also approached the referee while showing a gesture of refusal. He refused the penalty award and admitted that he fell himself, not because he was tackled by an opponent. After rejecting a penalty opportunity, Al Nassr then struggled after losing one player. Ali Lajami was given a red card in the 17th minute, and Persepolis benefited. Even so, no goals were scored until the end of the match. Persepolis' 12 attempted shots failed to penetrate Alaqidi's goal. The score 0-0 closed the 90-minute duel.