Sources have announced to the newspaper "Al-Riyadiyah" the selection of Uzbek referee Elgiz Tatashev to officiate the anticipated match between Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal and Qatar's Al Sadd, scheduled to take place on Tuesday evening at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, as part of the third round of the elite AFC Champions League.

Tatashev is 41 years old and will be assisted in managing the match by a fully Uzbek officiating crew, which includes assistants Andrei Tsabinko and Timur Jayniyulin, while Nadzhavaliev Askar and Riskulayeva Akrol will handle the VAR duties.

Al Hilal enters the match as the leader of the Western group with a perfect score after two rounds, aiming for their third consecutive victory, while Al Sadd hopes to secure their first win after two consecutive draws at the start of their Asian campaign.

Referee Tatashev has extensive experience in officiating continental matches, having previously managed three matches in the Saudi league, including two for Al Hilal. In the first, they lost to Abha 3-2 in February 2021, and in the second, they drew with Al Fayha 0-0 in December of the same year.

Tatashev also officiated the Buraidah derby between Al Taawoun and Al Raed in February 2022, which ended with Al Taawoun winning 3-0, amidst officiating performance that received praise from observers at the time.

Throughout his long officiating career, he has managed 277 matches in various international and local competitions, during which he issued 1,141 yellow cards and 75 red cards, reflecting his on-field strictness and ability to control major encounters.

Tatashev's officiating of the Al Hilal vs Al Sadd match comes at a time when both teams are looking to confirm their continental presence, amidst wide fan anticipation for a clash that combines blue experience and Qatari ambition in an exciting football atmosphere.