When Defenders Turned Attackers: Demiral and Ibanez’s On-Field Clash Shifts the Saudi Derby
14 January 2026
Key moment
The strong Al Ahli duo defend and attack together.
What happened on the pitch
A clash moved Al Ahli’s center-backs, Roger Ibanez and Merih Demiral, from defense to offense during the Al Ahli vs Al Taawon encounter in the Saudi Pro League.
Al Ahli faced Al Taawon at the Al-Inma Stadium, closing the 15th round of the Saudi season.
In the 29th minute, Turkish defender Merih Demiral engaged in a heated exchange with Achraf Mahdioui, a Taawon player, which escalated into a hand-to-hand clash.
When Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez saw the scene, he sprinted to help his teammate and also joined the fray with Mahdioui and other Taawon players.
Ultimately, referee Mohammed Al-Huwaish issued yellow cards to Demiral and Mahdioui, bringing this episode to a close.
Punchline 1: If defense can go on offense, maybe the ball should apply for a transfer too—talk about role reversal on the pitch.
Punchline 2: Tonight's highlight reel features more yellow cards than a traffic light—guess the ref was using stop-and-go mode for drama.
