RONALDO CALLS FOR BANS OVER JOTA CHANTS AT NEVES

Cristiano Ronaldo has called for lifetime stadium bans for fans who chanted the name of the late Diogo Jota at Ruben Neves during a Saudi Pro League match. Supporters targeted Al-Hilal midfielder Neves by repeatedly shouting "Jota" before Al-Hilal's 6-0 win over Al-Taawoun on Saturday. Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in the same league, wrote on social media that the league "must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour" and said "people who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again." Jota, a Liverpool forward, died alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in Spain's Zamora province in July last year. Neves and Jota were close friends, having played together for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portugal. Footage showed Neves sarcastically applauding the fans before pointing to the sky and looking towards them.

Neves has worn the number 21 shirt for Portugal in Jota's memory and has a tattoo on his calf depicting himself embracing Jota. After the match, Neves told reporters he hoped the fans involved would not "go to pray later after what they did." Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool after joining from Wolves in 2020, and scored 14 goals in 49 appearances for Portugal after his 2019 international debut. Ronaldo has played alongside both Neves and Jota for the Portugal national team.

BBC Sport reported it had contacted both Al-Hilal and Al-Taawoun for comment. Ronaldo's public appeal calls on Saudi Pro League authorities to introduce lifetime bans for fans found to have engaged in the chanting. No response from the league or the two clubs had been reported at the time of writing.