Saudi Pro League side Al-Taawoun have been ordered to play two home league matches behind closed doors after their supporters taunted Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves over the death of his friend and team-mate Diogo Jota.
Al-Taawoun have also been fined 100,000 Saudi Riyals (£20,000).
Liverpool forward Jota died in a car crash at the age of 28 in July last year and was a close friend of midfielder Neves, having played alongside him for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portugal.
Neves also now wears the number 21 shirt for Portugal in Jota’s memory, and has a tattoo on his calf of him and Jota embracing. He was also a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral.
Supporters targeted Neves before his side’s 6-0 win on Saturday by repeatedly shouting “Jota” at him.
After the match, Neves told reporters: “I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and was an international team-mate of Jota, called for lifetime bans to be issued to the chanting fans.
In a statement, Al-Taawoun said: “Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and does not represent the club, its fans, or the values for which the club is known.
“Sports competition cannot be a justification for insulting, belittling, or bullying others at the expense of anyone’s feelings.”
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