Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun handed stadium ban over Diogo Jota chants

· Guardian-Football

Fans heard shouting chants of ‘Jota’ against Al-Hilal Ronaldo had called for lifetime bans for those supporters The Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun have been fined nearly £20,000 and given a two-game stadium ban after fans chanted about the late Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota. The Al-Hilal midfielder Rúben Neves, who played with Jota for Wolves and Portugal, was shown gesturing to the sky after audible chants of “Jota” from Al-Taawoun fans could be heard during Saturday’s league game.

The Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun have been fined nearly £20,000 and given a two-game stadium ban after fans chanted about the late Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota.

The Al-Hilal midfielder Rúben Neves, who played with Jota for Wolves and Portugal, was shown gesturing to the sky after audible chants of “Jota” from Al-Taawoun fans could be heard during Saturday’s league game.

Jota died in the summer of 2025 along with his brother André Silva following a car crash in Spain and Neves was one of the pallbearers at his funeral.

A statement from the Saudi Football Federation read: “The fans of Al-Taawoun chanted phrases and slogans that violated the provisions of the Disciplinary and Ethics regulations, and the committee decided to increase the penalty in accordance with (39-4) of the disciplinary and ethics regulations.”

The Federation ordered Al-Taawoun to play their next two home league matches behind closed doors and fined the club 100,000 riyals (£19,796).

Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for the rival club Al-Nassr, had called for the fans that chanted about his former international teammate to be punished with stadium lifetime bans.

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