Saudi club given stadium ban over Jota chants

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.”