Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 11:44 PM• Last update: 23:49

Willem van Hanegem can imagine what goes on in the head of Steven Berghuis, he writes in his column in the Algemeen Dagblad. The captain of Feyenoord was shown a red card fifteen minutes before the end during the duel with Vitesse (0-0) after a wild tackle on Maximilian Wittek. Despite the fact that Van Hanegem found that penalty for Berghuis justified, he is not exactly pleased with the performance of referee Dennis Higler.

Van Hanegem calls the match between Feyenoord and Vitesse ‘very poor from both sides’. “Feyenoord got very few chances, only Berghuis should have made two. If that doesn’t work and the rest of the crew doesn’t take care of it for him, then you know what’s happening to him. Then sometimes one can give a blind vulture. That is not smart and that may also cost him Ajax at home due to a suspension ”writes Van Hanegem.

The former international can nevertheless ‘imagine’ what is going on in the head of Berghuis. “It really is pure frustration. Understandable even. But as a professional you have to learn to deal with it better. As a player I regularly opted for a substitution in the final phase because I felt that feeling coming up. Then I was even able to kick a fellow player. That is not possible either, I know that too. But I recognize that annoyance in itself. ”

Van Hanegem is not exactly pleased with the performance of referee Higler in De Kuip. “Referees annoyed me and I had that again yesterday. Higler has really done everything wrong in De Kuip. Only the red card for Berghuis was completely justified. Higler suddenly wants to whistle like Nijhuis. And I have no idea why ”, Van Hanegem concludes.