Saudi club Al-Taawoun sanctioned over Jota chants

Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun have been fined nearly £20,000 (€23,500) and given a two-game stadium ban after fans chanted about the late Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota.

Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves, who played with Jota for Wolves and Portugal, was shown gesturing to the sky after audible chants of "Jota" from Al-Taawoun fans could be heard during Saturday's league game.

Jota died in the summer of 2025 along with his brother Andre Silva following a car crash in Spain and Neves was one of the pallbearers at his funeral.

A statement from the Saudi Football Federation said: "The fans of Al-Taawoun chanted phrases and slogans that violated the provisions of the Disciplinary and Ethics regulations, and the committee decided to increase the penalty in accordance with (39-4) of the Disciplinary and Ethics regulations."

The Federation ordered Al-Taawoun to play their next two home Saudi Pro League matches behind closed doors and fined the club 100,000 riyals.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi club Al Nassr, had called for the fans that chanted about his former international team-mate to be punished with stadium lifetime bans.