Last Wednesday, the 29th, we had a clash, almost a battle, a war, between Al Nassr and Al Ahli. The match itself has already been discussed, but there are several details that need to be highlighted, especially because, before anything else, both sides were in the wrong.
A heated, intense game was expected, and that’s exactly what it was. But once again, certain limits were crossed. Because one thing is us, the fans; something completely different are the players and clubs, who represent millions — in money and in people.
From Al Ahli’s side, there’s a pattern that’s starting to become ridiculous: complaining every time they fail to win, claiming the league favours Al Nassr, that everything is being done to help Cristiano Ronaldo win the title. And the question is simple: does this happen in a serious league? Even worse, repeatedly?
It’s been Galeno, Ivan Toney, Demiral and even the club itself on social media. Not only does it sound bad, but it raises another issue: when you constantly claim the league you play in is manipulated, aren’t you also completely devaluing the competition you’re part of?
On the pitch, gestures like the “2”, the glasses or other provocations are part of football, even if, in this specific match, things also went a bit too far, looking more like a war than a game. Still, within a competitive context, that can be accepted to a certain extent. What doesn’t make sense is, game after game, falling back on the same narrative that “the league is against us”. It simply becomes ridiculous.
On Al Nassr’s side, there was excess as well. The post featuring Brozović in a drawing, set in a kebab restaurant scenario clearly linked to Turkish culture, with a figure resembling Demiral, crossed another line. So much so that Al Ahli have already reported it as racism and discrimination. And the question here is direct: was it necessary? One side being wrong doesn’t give the other a free pass to be wrong as well.
There needs to be awareness of the impact these clubs have today. It’s 2026, Saudi football now has global visibility and all of this will have consequences. There’s a lack of awareness, a lack of responsibility and, above all, a failure to understand what they represent.
Conclusion
In football, limits will always be tested, especially by fans who have nothing to lose, but players and clubs cannot act like this. They represent far more than just a game, and seeing this kind of behaviour is, at the very least, disappointing.