Al Wahda playmaker Dusan Tadic hit out at Al Ain players after their angry response to defeat in the Adib Cup final on Friday night.
Zayed Al Hammadi, the Wahda goalkeeper, was the hero as his side claimed a 4-2 win on penalties after the final had finished scoreless.
The result of the “Abu Dhabi Classico” extinguished Al Ain’s bid for a domestic treble. They are six points clear at the top of the UAE Pro League with three games left, and also play the President’s Cup final against Al Jazira on May 22.
Some of their players took defeat in the UAE’s league cup final badly. When the shoot-out was settled by a goal from Omar Khribin, Wahda’s players had to curtail their celebrations as a scuffle with their opposition had broken out on the other side of the field.
When the majority of the Al Ain contingent then walked out before the trophy presentation, Tadic said they lacked grace.
“It is a very important trophy for us and Al Ain in a very strong team with a great coach [Vladimir Ivic],” Tadic said, in an on-pitch interview with Abu Dhabi Sports TV.
“They showed at the end respect – their staff, their coach, their captain – they showed respect; they waited as we lifted the trophy.
“The other players I don’t respect any more. Just their captain [Khalid Essa] and staff. Other players I don’t respect. They show they are very small, playing in a big club.”
Despite being singled out for his good grace by his Serbian compatriot, Ivic was less magnanimous in his post-match comments.
The Al Ain coach said his side had played their best game of the season, and “destroyed” Wahda in “all aspects”.
“I am sure that all of United Arab Emirates see and understand who is the best team – not today, [but] generally this year” Ivic said.
“It is not a question. This was one of our best games of the season. It should finish 3- or 4-0. I am very, very proud of my guys how they played.
“I am very sad for my players because we didn’t take this trophy. If you ask me something about the game, I would say we destroyed them. In all aspects, it was the best game we have done.”
The spiteful scenes which followed the end of the game in the capital continued a theme in Arabian Gulf football.
Earlier in the week the vital Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al Ahli Saudi was marked by bad blood.
The fallout from Wednesday night’s 2-0 win for Nassr continued. Ahli are understood to have formally complained to the league about a post released on Nassr’s official X account which mocked Merih Demiral, their centre-back.
The post contains a caricature bearing the likeness of Demiral, who is Turkish, working in a kebab shop.
Galeno, whose fine season with Ahli was ended by injury in the game, also took to social media to criticise another post on Nassr’s account which showed the incident that caused his injury.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the opening goal for Nassr, is urging the league to ban players who complain about referees on social media.
“We knew they would be coming to fight and complain, but this is part of the game,” Ronaldo said in a pitchside interview with his former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand.
“They should respect the league more. The players who make posts on Facebook and Instagram, and speak bad about the referees and the league, this is not good for the project.
“They should be banned, like in the [English] Premier League. If you speak about the referees, in life it is not a good example.
“You get punished and I think we should do it here, because if not the league is not going to grow.”
