Cristiano Ronaldo continued his stunning run of form on Wednesday, helping Al Nassr claim a 2-0 victory over Al Ahli in what had been a heavily charged buildup. After the final whistle, the Portuguese star used the occasion to fire back at Ivan Toney and his Al Ahli teammates over their recent social media activity.
The controversy had begun in early April when several Al Ahli figures, including head coach Matthias Jaissle, Brazilian winger Galeno and Ivan Toney, publicly vented their frustration over the refereeing decisions in a 1-1 draw against Al Fayha. The result had dealt a significant blow to their title hopes, with the club making pointed claims about unawarded penalties and what they perceived as a bias toward Al Nassr.
Wednesday night brought the two sides face to face for the first time since the fallout. Ronaldo opened the scoring and Kingsley Coman sealed the 2-0 win, taking Al Nassr a major stride closer to the SPL title, and the Portuguese captain wasted no time in addressing the recent off-field noise.
Speaking to Vini Pereira on Canal GOAT, Ronaldo weighed in on the social media posts that had dominated the headlines in recent weeks. “I think this is not good for the league. Everyone is complaining. Everyone is doing more than they should be doing. This is football, it’s not a war. We know everyone has to fight and wants to win, but everything is not allowed,” he said.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates after winning against Al Ahli
Ronaldo then made a pointed promise to speak more publicly on the matter when the time is right. “I am going to speak out at the end of the season because I see several bad things. Many players make posts on Instagram and Facebook complaining about the referees, the league, the project. I think that is not good, and it is not the goal of the league,” he added.
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The Portuguese legend closed with a broader appeal to professionalism, framing it as a matter of the league’s long-term credibility on the global stage. “We should set an example, not only here but also for Europe, if we want to compete with them and be one of the best leagues in the world. I think we should stop this, analyze it, and talk with the Saudi League because, for me, this is no longer football,” he concluded.
Al Nassr vs. Al Ahli: The feud continues in the aftermath
The match was already dripping with tension before a ball had been kicked. Al Ahli arrived as reigning AFC Champions League Elite winners, and defender Mehdi Demiral had stoked the fire by posting a pointed message on social media: “You were right. We focus on AFC.” The remark was a direct reference to the earlier claims by Al Ahli players that a referee had allegedly told them to “focus on the AFC,” and it did little to cool the temperature before kickoff.
In the 98th minute, Demiral found himself on the receiving end of a forceful challenge from Coman, who was booked with a yellow card. The decision only deepened the defender’s anger. “They are helping Al Nassr so that they can win the league. This is a disgrace. Look at my legs. What happened is a disgrace. Al Ahli doesn’t need help to achieve anything. Thank God I’m with Al Ahli,” he said in the mixed zone.
The 2-0 victory at Al Awwal Park has brought Al Nassr to the brink of the SPL title, with the club now sitting first on 79 points from 30 games, eight clear of Al Hilal. With five games remaining, the defeat has all but ended Al Ahli’s title aspirations, leaving them third with 66 points from 29 games and 13 points adrift of the leaders.
