'This Is Not a War': Cristiano Ronaldo Warns Saudi Pro League Over Referee Complaints

By: Shawn
‎Cristiano Ronaldo believes the ongoing criticism directed at referees in the Saudi Pro League is undermining the competition’s progress and damaging its international image.
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‎After Al-Nassr defeated Al-Ahli 2-0 to strengthen their position in the standings, Ronaldo addressed the growing tension surrounding officiating decisions across the league.
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‎Cristiano Ronaldo says repeated complaints about officiating are hurting the Saudi Pro League project as Al-Nassr battle for the title.
‎Getty Images Sport 

‎The Portuguese forward warned that the atmosphere created by constant accusations and complaints does not reflect the goals of the competition.
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‎“I think this is not good for the league,” Ronaldo told Thmanyah. “Everyone complains. This is football; this is not a war. We know we have to fight; everyone wants to win. But not everything is allowed.”
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‎The remarks followed accusations from Merih Demiral, who claimed that Al-Nassr had benefited from favourable refereeing calls during the campaign.
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‎Despite asking for calm across the league, Ronaldo admitted that he also plans to discuss issues he has witnessed during the season once the title race is over. The campaign has not been straightforward for the 41-year-old, who previously staged a short boycott after Karim Benzema completed his controversial switch to Al-Hilal.
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‎Ronaldo said he intends to give a full assessment after the season concludes.
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‎“I am going to speak at the end of the season because I've seen many, many bad things,” he explained. “Many players have complained, making posts on Instagram and Facebook, speaking about the referees, speaking about the league, and speaking about the project.”
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‎He added: “This is not good. This is not the goal of the league. It's been a difficult season, not just on the pitch but off it. We know the power that other teams have but I will have the opportunity to speak at the end of the season.”
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‎The former Real Madrid and Manchester United attacker stressed that the wider objective is to help the Saudi Pro League challenge Europe’s top divisions. Ronaldo believes internal disputes over officiating distract from the progress and investment made since his arrival in Saudi Arabia in late 2022.
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‎Speaking about the league’s ambitions, he said: “We should give an example, not only here but also for Europe, that we want to compete with them to be one of the best leagues in the world.”
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‎He continued: “But like that, I think we should analyse but stop that [criticism] ... because for me, this is not football.”
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‎As Al-Nassr continue their pursuit of a first league championship since 2019, Ronaldo insisted winning trophies remains his biggest motivation, even while approaching the landmark of 1,000 career goals.
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‎“The fight [for the league title] is going to be until the end,” Ronaldo stated. “The career I've had has been brilliant and keeps going. The most important thing for me is to continue. I continue to enjoy it, to score goals. But the most important thing is to win. We really want to win the league.”

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