Ivan Toney Launches Explosive Attack on Saudi Pro League Officiating
England international Ivan Toney has delivered a blistering critique of refereeing standards in the Saudi Pro League, with his Al-Ahli teammate Galeno suggesting officials are attempting to "hand the trophy" to Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. The controversy erupted following Al-Ahli's 1-1 draw against Al-Fayha on Wednesday, a result that leaves Toney's side third in the table, two points behind leaders Al-Nassr who also hold a game in hand.
Penalty Appeals Spark Fury
Toney, who scored his 27th goal of the season in the match, claimed his team were denied multiple clear penalties against Al-Fayha. The striker revealed that when Al-Ahli players attempted to discuss decisions with the referee, they were told to "focus on the AFC Champions League" instead. "I think the very big talking point was the two penalties, it is as clear as day," Toney stated in a post-match interview. "I don't know what more you want him to do, if you pick the ball up with two hands are you going to give a penalty or not?"
The Brentford loanee expressed particular frustration with the official's response during the match. "When we tried to talk to the referee, he told us to 'focus on the AFC [Champions League]. How can the referee say this? We are talking about now and he is saying to focus on the AFC." Toney added ominously: "If you want me to go deeper, I can go deeper, it might get me into trouble but I am a man that says it how it is."
Clear Implications for Title Race
When questioned about who would benefit from the controversial decisions, Toney laughed and responded: "We know who, who are we chasing?" in a clear reference to Ronaldo's league-leading Al-Nassr. The England forward later amplified his claims on social media, sharing videos of three penalty appeals from the match with the caption: "It's actually crazy how you can miss things like this in crucial moments or choose to turn a blind eye. It's clear what is being influenced here."
Toney expanded on his criticism, writing: "Also with the referee telling us to concentrate on a different competition while VAR is going on is beyond me. Add to that with the referee agreeing that the first one was a penalty in the 90+ minute like that's going to help. I am probably the bad guy for speaking some truths and pointing out questionable decisions or s*** refereeing."
Teammate Echoes Allegations
Al-Ahli winger Galeno reinforced Toney's accusations with even more direct language on social media. "Hand over the trophy, that's what they want," Galeno wrote. "They want to knock us out of the championship by any means necessary, they want to hand the trophy to one person, a total lack of respect for our club."
The Brazilian's comments represent the most explicit suggestion yet that the Saudi Pro League might be favoring Ronaldo's pursuit of what would be his first league title in four seasons with Al-Nassr. With seven matches remaining in the campaign, the controversy has thrown the integrity of the competition into serious question.
Club Demands Transparency
Al-Ahli have formally backed their players' complaints, issuing a strongly-worded statement expressing "deep dissatisfaction with the refereeing errors" that affected the match against Al-Fayha. The club asserted that "the referee's decisions had a direct impact on the flow of the game and its final outcome, which in turn affected the team's position in the title race."
The statement continued: "Such errors raise legitimate concerns regarding the referee selection process and the criteria applied, particularly given the high technical and competitive level of the Saudi Roshn League. The team has faced unfair refereeing decisions, an unacceptable situation that neither serves the development of the competition nor upholds the principle of competitive fairness."
In a significant escalation, Al-Ahli have demanded access to "recordings and communications between the referees and the video assistant referee (VAR), as well as their interactions with the team's players during the match." The club has also requested "clear explanations for all refereeing incidents where decisions were not correctly made."
Title Implications
The controversy comes at a crucial juncture in the Saudi Pro League season, with Al-Nassr positioned to claim their first championship since Ronaldo's arrival in December 2022. Should they maintain their two-point advantage with a game in hand, it would represent the Portuguese superstar's first domestic league triumph since joining the Middle Eastern club.
Al-Ahli's statement concluded by reaffirming "its confidence in the commitment of the relevant authorities to safeguarding the integrity of the competition and taking the necessary practical steps that reflect the high standing the Saudi Roshn League has reached." However, the explosive allegations from Toney and Galeno have undoubtedly cast a shadow over the competition's credibility during its most critical phase.
