Andries Noppert complained to referee Edwin van de Graaf in the half-time of the match between Ajax and sc Heerenveen (2-0 halfway through). ESPN let in The Grandstand see images showing that the goalkeeper of the Frisians walked out of the referee’s changing room. The chat probably had to do with Edson Álvarez a moment before.
The midfielder of Ajax acted on the broken-out Thom Haye in the final phase of the first half and then kicked the ball away. Referee De Graaf judged the violation with yellow, but at Heerenveen they would have preferred a red card because of kicking the ball. Haye, among others, complained to the arbitrator, but De Graaf did not change his decision.
“Andries Noppert went in with the referee because he did not agree that it was a yellow card,” said presenter Aletha Leidelmeijer when the images are shown. “What exactly was said, we will undoubtedly hear afterwards.” According to Marciano Vink, it was especially unnecessary what Álvarez did, as there were still fellow players behind him to get the counter out. “This was completely unnecessary because there were two more players behind,” said the analyst.
Kees Kwakman wonders whether a second yellow card may be given for kicking the ball. “I think he immediately shot the ball away, right? I don’t know whether you can immediately give a yellow card again. He also had that against Cambuur, that he was frustrated and took yellow,” said Kwakman. “I don’t really know either, Kees”, Jan Joost van Gangelen added to his colleague.
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