Koeman & van Dijk (©Getty Images)
Koeman & van Dijk (©Getty Images)

Van Dijk outraged: It says it all that the ref went to the locker room quite quickly

Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 11.07.24. | 11:09

Netherlands captain disappointed with Felix Zwayer's treatment of his team, Koeman believes VAR has ruined football

Heartbreaking defeat replaced orange delirium at Westfalen. Ollie Watkins rattled Bart Verbruggen's net in the first minute of stoppage time to send England into their second successive European Championship final.

A number of debatable refereeing decisions marked the duel in Dortmund, including the awarded penalty for Gareth Southgate's team. Virgil Van Dijk barely had the strength to talk to the media after the game and, with heavy breathing, showed what he thought about Felix Zwayer's behaviour in general.

"The referee didn't even stay to shake hands. He immediately went to the locker room. That tells you everything about him. I can hardly stand here, I have to stand. I don't know what else to say. It hurts a lot," the Liverpool defender could barely utter the words.

The legendary Pierre van Hooijdonk reacted quickly to Zwayer's refereeing. He said hot-headed things about the German on Dutch television.

"Put that man on the blacklist. Penalty in the first half, a lot more in the second. The referee directly decided the winner of the game," the former Breda, Celtic, Nottingham Forest, Vitesse, Benfica, Feyenoord and Fenerbahce striker seethed with anger.

Hardly anyone was in the mood to talk in the Dutch team, and that also applies to Ronald Koeman.

"He decided to call for many stupid things. Football was destroyed by such VAR decisions. Afterwards, in the second half, he called fouls very easily in favor of England. My players often did not know what he was doing at all," Koeman lamented.



tags

Euro 2024The NetherlandsEnglandVirgil van DijkRonald Koeman

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