Al-Taawoun handed stadium ban over Jota chants aimed at Neves

Al-Taawoun have been ordered to play their next two home league matches behind closed doors after supporters taunted Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves over the death of his close friend Diogo Jota.

The Saudi Pro League club have also been fined 100,000 Saudi Riyals (£20,000) following the incident.

Supporters repeatedly chanted Jota’s name at Neves during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 victory over Al-Taawoun on Saturday. Jota, the former Liverpool and Portugal forward, died aged 28 in a car crash in July last year.

Neves and Jota were close friends after playing together at Wolverhampton Wanderers and for Portugal. Neves also wears Portugal’s No. 21 shirt in Jota’s memory and has a tattoo depicting the pair embracing. He was among the pallbearers at Jota’s funeral.

After the match, Neves expressed his anger at the behaviour, saying: “I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did.”

The incident also drew a strong response from Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota’s former Portugal team-mate, who called for the supporters involved to receive lifetime bans.

Al-Taawoun condemned the chants and distanced the club from the behaviour.

“Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and does not represent the club, its fans, or the values for which the club is known,” the club said.

“Sports competition cannot be a justification for insulting, belittling, or bullying others at the expense of anyone’s feelings.”

The punishment means Al-Taawoun will have to host their next two league fixtures without supporters inside their stadium, while the financial penalty adds to the consequences of an incident that overshadowed their heavy defeat by Al-Hilal.