28 May 2023 , 21:58
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Ajax have confirmed Steven Berghuis has been fined after footage emerged of him punching a fan outside the ground after a defeat at FC Twente.
The Dutch international, who moved to the Amsterdam club in 2021, was shown lashing out at the fan after words were exchanged as he prepared to board the team bus. Berghuis, 31, began his career with Twente and spent a season in the Premier League with Watford.
Berghuis came on as a substitute as Ajax lost 3-1, picking up a late yellow card in the defeat. The result ended Ajax's slim hopes of Champions League qualification, though a defeat for rivals AZ meant they will be in the play-off rounds for the Europa League - rather than the Europa Conference League - next season.
“Steven reacted in the wrong way," an Ajax statement read, per De Telegraaf. "He quickly made this known to [manager] John Heitinga and immediately apologized.
"Upon arrival at the Arena [Ajax's home ground], he had a conversation with Heitinga, Edwin van der Sar and Sven Mislintat. They also wanted to hear his side of the story.
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"The conclusion is that his reaction was wrong and that Ajax disapproves. He has been fined.”
The incident rounds off a forgettable season for Ajax, who have struggled since the departure of manager Erik ten Hag to Manchester United. Ten Hag's successor Alfred Schreuder was sacked less than a year after taking the job, with former centre-back Heitinga unable to lift the team into the top two.
"I regret my action, I should not have done this," Berghuis said in a statement of his own. “After every away game we get a lot of curses thrown at us at the bus, while we make time to hand out autographs to fans who ask for it. I'm used to it now, but people think they can shout anything.
"My response doesn't solve anything, I understand that. It is not good, I have an exemplary function as an Ajax player.”
Ajax briefly held out some hope of chasing down PSV Eindhoven and finishing second, with captain Dusan Tadic giving them a half-time lead. They collapsed after the break, though, with goals from Manfred Ugalde, Julio Plegezuelo and Vaclav Cerny giving the hosts all three points.
Steven Berghuis issued a statement after the incident (Dennis Bresser/Soccrates/Getty Images)The only way Ajax could have qualified for the Champions League qualifiers was if they won and PSV lost at AZ. Managerless PSV got the job done, though, with Xavi Simons breaking the deadlock midway through the second half and then scoring a stoppage-time winner after Jesper Karlsson had brought the Europa Conference League semi-finalists level.
"The reality is that we’re going to play Europa League," Heitinga admitted. "That is painful in comparison to all the successes we’ve had in the last year. We’ve been spoiled."