Cristiano Ronaldo sees RED, raises fist towards referee during Al-Nassr's Saudi Cup defeat to Al-Hilal (WATCH)

A furious Cristiano Ronaldo lost his composure on Monday evening, receiving a red card for what appeared to be elbowing and stamping on his opponent during Al-Nassr's Saudi Super Cup defeat. Adding to the chaos, Ronaldo inexplicably raised his fist towards the referee.

Chaos erupted in the dying moments of the semi-final, with Al-Nassr trailing 2-0, when the Real Madrid legend was shown the red card following a clash with Al-Hilal's Ali Al-Bulaihi near the touchline.

The altercation ensued when Al-Bulaihi attempted to prevent the Portuguese superstar from grabbing the ball to take a quick throw-in, leading to a heated confrontation between the two players while the ball remained out of play.

Subsequent footage suggested that Ronaldo threw an elbow toward the Al-Hilal defender, causing him to fall to the ground and triggering a melee of pushing and shoving among the players. The opposing team expressed dissatisfaction with the challenge.

In another clip, Ronaldo appeared to stamp on Al-Bulaihi, who was already down, but the view was obstructed by advertising boards, leaving it unclear whether Ronaldo made contact with the player.

The altercation ignited a brawl between the two Saudi rival teams, prompting former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly to rush to the aid of his teammate before being pushed. Meanwhile, Al-Nassr and former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte attempted to intervene as peacemakers in the chaotic late scenes.

While the players clashed on the field, Ronaldo observed the unfolding chaos. However, referee Mohammed Al-Hoaish swiftly brandished a straight red card, leaving the 39-year-old visibly angered by the match official's decision.

In a dramatic turn of events, Ronaldo appeared to gesture as if he intended to throw a punch – or possibly aimed to punch the ball he was holding – towards the referee before refraining from doing so.

With his already precarious situation exacerbated, Ronaldo sarcastically patted one match official on the shoulder after receiving the straight red card.

As he was leaving the pitch, Ronaldo appeared to tell the crowd 'all of you are witnessing this robbery'. 

It concluded as an immensely controversial evening for both club and player as they faced elimination from the competition at the hands of the Saudi Pro League leaders.

Earlier in the match, Ronaldo had already engaged in a confrontation with the referee following the disallowance of an Al-Nassr goal while the game remained goalless.

Otavio's apparent goal that could have given his team the lead was nullified after Ronaldo failed to make contact with the ball, and Otavio was ruled offside when he scored. Ronaldo's protestations over the disallowed goal resulted in him receiving a yellow card, setting the stage for further tension to escalate later in the match.

Salem Aldawsari and Malcom sealed the victory with two second-half goals, propelling their team to the next round of the Saudi Super Cup. Sadio Mane contributed a late consolation goal in injury time for 10-man Al-Nassr.

This incident isn't the first time Ronaldo has courted controversy in Saudi football this season. Earlier, the former Manchester United star was suspended for one match by Saudi football authorities following an incident where he appeared to make an obscene gesture towards crowd chanting arch-rival and Argentine legend Lionel Messi's name during Al-Nassr's match against Al Shabab in February.

While Ronaldo's goal-scoring prowess remains unmatched, his disciplinary issues have cast a shadow over Al-Nassr's season. With their elimination from the Asian Champions League and trailing 12 points behind in the Saudi Pro league, the Portuguese legend's hopes of securing silverware now hinge on the Saudi Cup, where Al-Nassr is slated to compete in the semi-finals.

As Ronaldo strives to regain his composure and focus on his performance on the pitch, his ability to lead Al-Nassr to victory in the upcoming Saudi Cup will serve as a litmus test for his leadership and resolve amidst the turmoil of disciplinary setbacks.