Algerian club MC Alger have expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions and alleged harassment surrounding their 2-0 defeat to Nigeria’s Rangers International in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.

In a statement, the Algerian side questioned several decisions made during the encounter at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, particularly the penalty awarded to Rangers and the sending-off of Oussama Benhoua.

MC Alger claimed that the penalty was awarded despite what they described as the absence of an infringement that warranted the decision.

The club also challenged the referee’s decision to issue Benhoua a second yellow card, insisting that the foul in question was committed by Ayoub Ghezala. The Algerian side suggested that the decision was questionable, especially as Benhoua had already received an earlier booking.

Beyond the officiating, MC Alger alleged that members of their delegation were subjected to harassment in the VIP stand at the stadium.

The club further claimed that its videographer, who was covering the match live on the official Mouloudia YouTube channel, was repeatedly forced to change his filming angle.

MC Alger also rejected what it described as attempts to damage the reputation of the club and its supporters. It maintained that it possessed evidence showing that some seats at the stadium were already broken before the match began.

The Algerian club also complained about the cost of tickets for its supporters who travelled to Nigeria, claiming that prices reached more than $20. According to MC Alger, this was unusually expensive compared with the ticket prices they had encountered at other African stadiums during their CAF Champions League campaigns.

The club's management said it would take all necessary steps to defend the interests and rights of the team and its supporters over the incidents surrounding the first-leg encounter.

Despite the complaints, MC Alger urged their supporters to maintain sportsmanship during the return leg at the Ali Ammar ‘La Pointe’ Stadium in Algeria.

The club called on its fans to continue creating a positive atmosphere in the stands and support the team as it seeks to overturn the two-goal deficit and secure qualification for the CAF Champions League group stage.