Al-Taawoun have been ordered to play their next two home Saudi Pro League matches behind closed doors after fans taunted Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves over the death of Diogo Jota.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation handed down the punishment while also fining Al-Taawoun 100,000 riyals ($26,660 / £19,796).
Fans of the club were videoed repeatedly chanting Jota’s name in the direction of Neves during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 win over Al-Taawoun last Saturday.
Jota, a former Portugal team-mate of Neves and Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo, was killed in a car crash in Northern Spain in July 2025. Neves was Jota’s best friend and a pallbearer at his funeral.
In response to the chanting, Ronaldo took to social media to demand action be taken.
He wrote: “The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour. This is no longer football, and there have to be limits. People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again.”
Neves showed his disgust during the game, indicating that ‘God is watching’ by pointing at the sky, his eyes and then the fans during the game.
Afterwards, he was asked about the incidents, and said: “I hope they [the fans] don’t go to prayer later.”
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