Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Al Ittihad CEO Domingos Soares de Oliveira has called for fairness and integrity in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) following his team’s victory over Al Wehda on Saturday, which solidified their position at the top of the standings with a four-point lead over second-placed Al Hilal.

His remarks come amid growing tensions over officiating standards in the league, as Al Hilal issued a scathing statement criticizing refereeing decisions after their 1-1 draw against Al Riyadh on Friday.

“We want to guarantee a fair competition,” Oliveira stated. “It is very important for everyone, especially for the Saudi Federation and the referees' committee, to ensure that integrity is upheld until the last match. No pressure from anyone. Each club has to do its job. We are doing ours, and we expect all other stakeholders to do the same.”

Al Hilal, the defending champions, expressed deep frustration with the officiating in their draw against Al Riyadh, particularly over two penalty claims that were denied despite what the club described as clear VAR evidence. In their official statement, the club accused Manuel Navarro, Chairman of the Referees Committee at the Saudi Football Federation (SFF), of pressuring teams to accept Saudi referees despite concerns over their quality and neutrality.

The club also criticized Michael Emenalo, Director of Football at the SPL, for allegedly making remarks suggesting he hoped Al Hilal would face difficulties in the competition. Al Hilal labeled such comments as unacceptable from a league official, stressing that neutrality should be a priority for those in leadership positions.

With tensions running high, all eyes now turn to this weekend’s highly anticipated Saudi Classico, where Al Hilal and Al Ittihad will face off in Jeddah on Saturday. The clash is expected to have significant implications in the title race, with both teams aiming to assert their dominance amid the ongoing debate over refereeing standards.