Overview
- Johor Darul Ta’zim forward Jairo Da Silva was knocked unconscious when Al-Ahli defender Ali Majrashi’s attempted bicycle kick struck his head during the AFC Champions League quarterfinal in Jeddah.
- Referee Adham Makhadmeh reviewed the clash and issued a straight red card to Majrashi.
- Stadium medics were slow to arrive, and Johor captain Natxo Insa ran to fetch a stretcher, grabbed an assistant referee’s flag, and kicked a chair in frustration as teammates pleaded for help.
- Hospital staff said Da Silva was stable after surgery to his upper lip that required 30 stitches, and physiotherapist Thamer Alshahrani and surgeon Dr. Haitham Khan confirmed he has been discharged.
- Al-Ahli won 2–1 to reach a semifinal against Japan’s Vissel Kobe, and the AFC is expected to study footage and the referee’s report before deciding on any discipline.