Danny Makkelie ‘to take charge’ of Al-Fayha vs Al-Hilal as fans worry | OneFootball

Al-Hilal supporters are fearing the worst after learning the identity of the referee for today’s trip to Al-Fayha, the Saudi Roshn League round two opener at Al-Majmaah Sports City Stadium.

Arriyadiyah reports that Dutch official Danny Makkelie will take charge, with compatriots Hessel Steegstra and Jan de Vries as assistants, Croatia’s Ivan Bebek on VAR and Saudi official Mohammed Abu Shukara as fourth official.

This will be the ninth Al-Hilal match he has overseen, after eight assignments across four tournaments between 2018 and 2025. In those games, Al-Hilal won four, drew two and lost two.

The first defeat was brutal, a five-goal hammering by Al-Taawoun in the 2019 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup semi-final. The second came the last time he officiated them, a 2-1 loss to Fluminense that ended their FIFA Club World Cup run at the quarter-final stage.

There have been highs too, including the 2022 Saudi Super Cup, when Al-Hilal beat Al-Faisaly on penalties under his watch. So far this season, Makkelie has handled only one match, Utrecht against AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch league’s second round.

Source: Goal.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”