Referee questioning by Jesus following Al-Hilal's elimination from the Asian Champions League
Looks like Jorge Jesus, the boss of Al-Hilal, is riffling feathers with the officials after his side's crushing elimination from the Asian Champions League Elite. The four-time champs took a tumble against fellow Saudi Pro League heavyweights Al-Ahli in Jeddah on Tuesday, losing 3-1.
This bitter loss marked Al-Ahli's first appearance in the final since 2012. Anchored by first-half strikes from Brazilian sensation Roberto Firmino and English star Ivan Toney, Al-Ahli steered their way to victory, keeping Al-Hilal on the ropes.
With a hint of venom, Jesus, the Portuguese coach, lambasted Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh. "The referee didn't quite make the cut compared to the teams," Jesus implied, hinting that Makhadmeh was the dirty linen behind Al-Hilal's subpar performance. "The referee's quality wasn't up to par; I'd say he played a role in our disappointing performance," he sputtered.
The tense match saw its fair share of roughhousing, resulting in eleven yellow cards being handed out. Makhadmeh was particularly tough on Al-Hilal, issuing two yellows to Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly for fouls on Toney and Roger Ibanez, leaving Al-Hilal short-handed for the remainder of the game.
By the time Yassine Bounou, Al-Hilal's Moroccan goalkeeper, managed to deny Riyad Mahrez from the spot, the damage was already done. Substitute Hamad Al-Tuhayfan's foul on Mahrez sealed the deal, earning Al-Ahli another penalty. Feras Al-Brikan's late goal put the finishing touch on a satisfying victory for Al-Ahli, propelling them forward in the Asian Champions League.
The loss paves the way for more pressure on Jesus, who guided Al-Hilal to the Saudi Pro League title last year. However, dwindling success in the Asian Champions League—with consecutive semi-final eliminations—could warrant a shake-up in the coaching staff.
"I've put in all the work and planning I could," said Jesus, addressing rumors of a potential coaching change ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup in June. "But when things turn south, someone has to take the fall. The board has nothing to do with this—the buck stops with me."
"It's not the right time to point fingers, though. I'll step up and take responsibility for the decisions I made, the line-up I assembled, and the strategy I employed," he continued. "I'm the one who is accountable because I'm the one who made the calls."
- The Jordanian referee, Adham Makhadmeh, was a source of excessive nervousness for Al-Hilal's Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus, as he believed the referee's performance played a role in their disappointing exit from the Asian Champions League.
- With Al-Hilal's exit from the Asian Champions League, venomous remarks were made by coach Jesus, suggesting that the quality of the referee, Makhadmeh, was comparable to that of the teams, implying that he negatively impacted their performance.
- Apart from Al-Hilal, including sports such as football, the Asian Champions League has seen numerous high-profile matches filled with tension and controversy, leading to heated discussions about the performance of referees like Adham Makhadmeh.
