Greek coach Giorgos Donis, manager of the first football team at Al-Khaleej Club, expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions witnessed in his team’s match against Al-Shabab, which ended in a goalless draw in the eighteenth round of the Saudi Professional League, in the match that was held at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam.
Harsh criticism of the refereeing decisions
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Donis emphasized that his team only seeks fairness on the pitch. The Greek coach stressed that the red card shown to defender Mohammed Khabrani was, in his opinion, “completely undeserved,” adding that such decisions directly impact the course of matches and the team's results.
Donis did not only talk about the incident in the Al-Shabab match, but also recalled the memories of the previous Al-Ahli match, expressing his continued anger at what he described as the harshness of the refereeing, as he pointed out that the expulsion of the player Dimitrios in that match was a very harsh decision according to the consensus of many analysts, which puts the team under great psychological and technical pressure.
Compared to European football and the pressure of matches
The Al-Khaleej coach addressed the issue of fatigue and the pressure of consecutive matches, citing an example from the French league. Donis said, “In the recent Auxerre-Paris Saint-Germain match, the PSG coach substituted seven key players at once because they had played a match three days prior. We don't have that luxury here, and we don't have a bench that allows us that option with the tight schedule.” This statement highlights the significant differences in squad depth between top clubs and mid-table teams, making squad rotation a high-risk strategy that could cost the team valuable points.
Challenges of the shortage of players and the future of the team
In a related context, Donis discussed the technical challenges facing Al-Dana, noting that the departure of Murad Hawsawi and Ali Abdulraouf has clearly impacted the team's tactical options. He confirmed that the coaching staff is currently working on preparing suitable replacements and trying to improve the team's position in the Roshan League standings to ensure they remain in the safe zone and avoid relegation.
Competition context of the Roshan League
Donis's comments come at a time when the Saudi league is witnessing fierce competition and a noticeable improvement in technical and physical levels, making the task more difficult for clubs that do not have huge budgets or strong benches. Donis is considered an experienced coach in Saudi football, having previously coached Al-Hilal and Al-Fateh, which makes him fully aware of the nature of the competition and the importance of small details and refereeing decisions in determining the fate of points, especially in crucial matches against top teams like Al-Shabab.
