Saudi club Al-Shabab has strongly criticized the refereeing performance following its 3-0 defeat to Qatar’s Al-Rayyan in the Gulf Champions League final, where the Qatari side secured its first-ever title.
The match was marked by several controversial decisions, including two penalty appeals in favor of Al-Shabab that were not awarded, as well as the dismissal of Belgian player Yannick Carrasco after protesting the referee—incidents that heightened tensions throughout the game.
In an official statement, Al-Shabab’s management expressed deep dissatisfaction with the officiating team led by Emirati referee Adel Al-Naqbi, stating that the decisions lacked basic standards of fairness and neutrality and had a direct impact on the course and outcome of the match.
The club also noted that some decisions came at critical moments and appeared unbalanced, raising concerns over the overall refereeing standards in such a decisive fixture.
Al-Shabab emphasized that it refuses to be adversely affected by influential refereeing errors and called on the Gulf Cup Football Federation to review the incidents and take firm action to ensure fairness and integrity in future competitions.
