Al-Taawoun Ordered to Play Behind Closed Doors After Neves Incident
Al-Taawoun have been ordered to play two Saudi Pro League home games behind closed doors after sections of their support mocked Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves over the death of his close friend and former team-mate Diogo Jota.
The disciplinary ruling also hit the club with a 100,000 Saudi Riyals (£20,000) fine.
The incident came before Al-Hilal’s 6-0 win on Saturday, when Al-Taawoun fans repeatedly chanted “Jota” at Neves. It was a targeted taunt that cut deep. Jota, the Liverpool forward and Portugal international, died in a car crash in July last year at the age of 28.
Neves and Jota had shared a dressing room at Wolverhampton Wanderers and with Portugal. Their bond went far beyond that. Neves now wears Portugal’s number 21 shirt in Jota’s honour, has a tattoo on his calf of the pair embracing, and acted as a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral.
So when the chants rained down, they struck at something far more personal than a routine bit of hostility from the stands.
After the match, Neves did not hide his anger. “I just hope they don't go to pray later after what they did,” he told reporters, a pointed response in a country where faith is central to daily life.
The reaction was not limited to the pitch. Cristiano Ronaldo, now at Al-Nassr and a former international team-mate of Jota, publicly called for lifetime bans for those involved in the chanting, underlining the strength of feeling among Portugal’s players.
Al-Taawoun moved quickly to distance themselves from the behaviour. In a statement, the club said: “Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and does not represent the club, its fans, or the values for which the club is known.
“Sports competition cannot be a justification for insulting, belittling, or bullying others at the expense of anyone's feelings.”
The punishment means Al-Taawoun will now host two league fixtures in an empty stadium, a stark backdrop and a clear warning as the Saudi Pro League grapples with where the line must be drawn between fierce rivalry and basic human respect.
