Ivan Toney has raised doubts about the integrity of refereeing in the Saudi Pro League. His Al Ahli teammate Galeno suggested that the league might favor one individual for the title.
That individual is widely perceived to be Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr, who has not yet secured the league title since his arrival in Saudi Arabia in December 2022.
In a recent 1-1 draw against Al Fayha, Al Ahli players felt they were denied at least two penalty opportunities, a result that left them in third place, four points behind league leaders Al Nassr, who have a game in hand.
“They want to hand over the trophy,” Galeno posted on X following the match. “They are determined to eliminate us from the championship, showing a complete lack of respect for our club.”
When asked who might be benefitting, Toney refrained from naming Al Nassr directly but noted in his post-match comments: “We know who. Who are we up against?”
The England international, who netted his 27th goal of the league season to remain at the top of the Saudi Pro League scoring chart, expressed disbelief that their penalty requests were turned down after VAR review.
“The key issue was the two penalty calls,” Toney stated. “It’s obvious. What more do you want? Should he pick the ball up with both hands for a penalty?”
“When we approached the referee, he told us to ‘focus on the AFC’ [Asian Football Confederation Champions League]. How can a referee say that?”
“If you want me to elaborate further, I can, but it might get me into trouble. I’m a straightforward person.”
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“The obvious issue is that the referee’s attention is diverted. Throughout the season, these were clear penalties, but now that we’re at a critical point, things have changed. I can’t understand the reasoning behind it.”
In an official statement, Al Ahli expressed concerns over the referee selection process: “Our team has suffered from unfair officiating decisions, creating an unacceptable situation that undermines the growth of the competition and fairness overall.”
Regarding his team’s chances for the title, Toney mentioned: “We’ll keep pushing forward, hoping for some just decisions. If we have fair referees, play our game, and make the right calls, I believe we have a strong chance. But under the current circumstances, it will always be challenging.”
Al Nassr hasn’t claimed the Saudi Pro League title since the 2018-19 season. They currently lead Al Hilal by two points and will play against Al Okhdood on Saturday.