Media personality Walid Al-Faraj has reignited the refereeing debate ahead of Monday’s AFC Champions League round-of-16 clash between Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli and Qatar’s Al-Duhail.
The debate intensified after Al-Ahli’s 1-1 draw with Al-Fayha in Round 29 of the Roshen Professional League, when the referee declined to award two penalties.
Taking to X, the broadcaster stressed that Al-Ahli’s management now face a critical task: insulating the squad from the lingering refereeing controversy so they can focus on Monday’s AFC Champions League last-16 clash with Al-Duhail.
Al-Ahli, he noted, are not just defending their continental crown; they are chasing a fresh title with the ambition that comes with it, and he expressed his full support for the team and its passionate fanbase.
The furore centred on the referee’s refusal to award a second penalty in the dying seconds of stoppage time, sparking a several-minute delay and a touchline confrontation involving the fourth official, Al-Ahli’s coaching staff and players.
English striker Ivan Toney and his German coach Matthias Jaissle later stated that the fourth official had told them to “forget the league and focus on Asia”, a claim the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Referees’ Committee initially rejected. However, a video soon surfaced backing up the Al-Ahli pair’s version of events, prompting the club to lodge an official complaint to protect their rights.
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