Joao Felix left reporters stunned in the mixed zone following Al Nassr’s 2-1 defeat to Al Ittihad on Friday, a result that cost Ange Postecoglou’s side their unbeaten start to the season and handed sole possession of first place to Al Hilal.
The Portuguese forward, who played the full match alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in attack, appeared visibly frustrated for much of the second half, particularly after picking up a yellow card for a challenge on Al Ittihad midfielder Richard Rios that he clearly felt was harsh.
That frustration spilled over once the final whistle blew. “I won’t speak to you, because if I do, I’ll expose this league,” Felix said while rushing past reporters without stopping for further comment.
Whether Felix’s remarks were aimed specifically at the referee’s performance in Friday’s match or at broader officiating issues within the Saudi Pro League remains unclear, since he declined to explain himself any further before leaving the stadium.
Joao Felix set to miss Al Nassr’s next match
Felix’s yellow card against Rios was his fourth of the season, which under Article 12 of the Saudi Pro League’s competition regulations, triggers an automatic one-match suspension for accumulating four bookings across different matches.
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That means the Portuguese forward will be unavailable for Al Nassr‘s next league fixture against Abha on September 9, leaving Postecoglou to reshuffle his attacking options as the club looks to respond to its first loss of the campaign.
Felix leaves the pitch frustrated with the officiating
Video circulating after the match, shared by Al Nassr Tribune, showed Felix and Samu Costa clearly unhappy with referee Khaled Al-Turais’ performance as they made their way off the pitch, still airing their frustrations well after the final whistle had blown.
The footage adds further context to Felix’s cryptic comments in the mixed zone, suggesting his complaint extended beyond his own yellow card to the officiating as a whole throughout the match.
