Youssef En-Nesyri blames referee for Al-Ittihad’s defeat by Al-Hilal

Youssef En-Nesyri has criticised the referee after Al-Ittihad were beaten 3-2 by Al-Hilal in the eighth round of the Saudi Roshn League.

The Morocco striker, who scored Al-Ittihad’s opening goal in the 22nd minute, said the officials played a major role in his team’s defeat in the latest edition of the fixture.

Speaking to the media after the match, En-Nesyri said: “The referee was one of the most important reasons why we lost tonight’s match.”

He then indicated that he did not want to expand on his criticism because of the possible consequences.

“I do not want to talk more about the referee so that I do not face sanctions,” he added. “But anyone who watched the game will see that he was one of the reasons for our defeat.”

En-Nesyri nevertheless acknowledged that Al-Ittihad had also contributed to the result and praised their opponents’ performance.

“But we made some mistakes, and Al-Hilal played a great match,” he said. “We will certainly try to put things right in the coming period.”

The striker’s comments followed a match in which he continued his impressive displays for Al-Ittihad this season, scoring the first goal of the contest in the 22nd minute.

A video of En-Nesyri’s post-match remarks was shared by the Nadeena account on 10 October 2026. In the clip, he is heard saying: “Why did we lose? Did you watch the match? I do not want to talk about the referee so that I do not face sanctions.”

Al-Hilal’s 3-2 victory completed the result of a closely contested Saudi Roshn League classic, while En-Nesyri’s criticism placed the focus on the refereeing after the final whistle.