Ivan Toney has accused referees in the Saudi Pro League of favoring Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr. The Al-Ahli forward made the claims after his team's 1-1 draw with Al-Fayha, where two penalties were denied. Al-Ahli sits four points behind league leaders Al-Nassr.
Ivan Toney spoke out following Al-Ahli's 1-1 stalemate against Al-Fayha in round 29 of the Saudi Roshn League. He highlighted two incidents he believes should have resulted in penalties, including a handball where the player picked up the ball with two hands. 'I think the very big talking point was the two penalties, it is as clear as day,' Toney said. The referee, Mohammed Sami Al-Ismail, reportedly told players to focus on the AFC Champions League during discussions over one decision in stoppage time, which Toney called unacceptable. Asked who benefited from the non-awarded penalties, Toney replied with a laugh: 'We know who, who are we chasing?' referring to Al-Nassr, who lead by four points and face Al-Okhdood on Saturday. Al-Nassr's match is matchday 28, pending completion. Toney posted videos of the incidents on social media, writing: '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.' His teammate Galeno echoed the frustration on X, stating: 'Hand over the trophy, that’s what they want... a total lack of respect for our club.' Al-Ahli issued a statement expressing deep dissatisfaction with the refereeing errors, which they say impacted the game's outcome and their title race position. The club demanded access to VAR recordings and communications, along with explanations for the decisions. They raised concerns over referee selection in the high-stakes league.
