The Turkish centre-back was unable to contain his frustration following the final whistle on Wednesday. Al-Ahli felt aggrieved by several decisions during the contest, particularly a challenge from Coman on Demiral that the defender felt deserved a red card. Demiral displayed his battle scars after the match to highlight the severity of the tackle.
“Check my foot, he almost broke it. It’s a shame,” Demiral stated, before escalating his criticism to include the integrity of the league’s officiating. He suggested that there is a concerted effort to ensure the Riyadh-based club finishes on top of the podium. “It looks clear referees help Al Nassr, they want them to win. We always win games and nobody helps. We will remain on top,” he added, despite the blow to his team’s title aspirations.