The fifteenth round of the Saudi Professional League (Roshan League) witnessed dramatic events that extended beyond the action on the pitch to the press conference rooms. Frenchman Christophe Galtier, manager of Neom FC, launched a scathing and unprecedented attack on the refereeing system and the implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, following his team's thrilling 3-2 defeat to Al-Shabab at Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh.
Fiery statements and criticism of video technology
The veteran coach began his remarks in a sharp tone that reflected the team's deep frustration, saying, "I'm not a child; I've been a manager for over 20 years, and what I saw today is completely unacceptable." Galtier explained that his team was fully aware of the difficulty of facing a team of Al-Shabab's caliber, but that refereeing decisions drastically altered the course of the match.
The French coach unleashed his anger at the inconsistency of the refereeing decisions, citing specific instances and comparing what happened in the Al-Shabab match with his team's previous game against Al-Fateh. He explained, "I criticized the VAR referee for not calling the on-field referee to review a clear penalty for us in the Al-Fateh match, while today a penalty was awarded to Al-Shabab even though the contact was minimal and the ball was far from the player. This raises serious questions about the criteria being used.".
General context and challenges of the sports project
Galtier's statements carry particular weight given his extensive coaching experience, having previously managed European giants such as Paris Saint-Germain, Lille, and Nice in Ligue 1. His presence in the Saudi League is part of an ambitious sporting project aimed at raising the level of competitiveness and attracting top international talent. Therefore, a coach of his stature complaining about "basic refereeing" issues highlights the need for refereeing standards to keep pace with the tremendous development in the level of players, coaches, and the league's infrastructure, in order to ensure the continued positive image of the competition globally.
The impact of decisions on fair competition
Galtier didn't stop at generalities, but delved into the finer technical details, pointing out that any minor contact by Al-Shabab players was immediately ruled a foul, while Neom players, particularly Luciano, were subjected to violent tackles without any protection from the referee. The coach emphasized that this disparity undermines the club's prestige and harms the fairness of the competition, adding: "This is the first time I've spoken about refereeing since my arrival six months ago, but what happened in the last two matches is shameful and damages the league's reputation.".
A protest withdrawal and a message to officials
At the end of his tense remarks, and instead of continuing to answer journalists' questions, Galtier decided to deliver his message in a practical way, abruptly leaving the press conference. This move serves as a wake-up call to the referees' committee, highlighting the need to review performance and ensure fairness for all teams. Galtier believes that respecting his team's efforts requires impartial refereeing that meets the high standards expected of the Saudi league.
