Ex-Watford player Steven Berghuis PUNCHES a fan in what was a heated altercation ‘after his teammate is racially abused’.
His club, Ajax, have confirmed the 31 year old has been fined after a video was posted, showing him punching a fan outside the ground after a defeat at FC Twente.
The Dutch international who joined the Amsterdam outfit in the 2021 was seen lashing out at a fan as he boarded the team bus.
Steven Berghuis punched a Twente fan after he allegedly yelled “cancer blackie” at Berghuis’ Ajax teammate Brian Brobbey.
— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) May 28, 2023
Berghuis started his career at Twente, and then spent a year in the Premier League playing for Watford.
Berghuis was a sub as Ajax fell to a 3-1 defeat. He received a yellow card late in the match, with Ajax losing its slim chance of qualifying for the Champions League, but AZ’s defeat meant that they would be playing in the Europa League playoffs next season instead of the Europa Conference League.
Ajax has had a disappointing season since Erik ten Hag left to join Manchester United. Alfred Schreuder, Ten Hag’s replacement in the position of manager, was fired less than one year after he took it. Former centre-back Heitinga also failed to get the team up into the top 2.
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 he published. “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.”
Brian Brobbey on instagram:
“Steven Berghuis ❤️”#Ajax pic.twitter.com/rVg5c0ttwM
— All About Ajax (@AllAboutAjax) May 29, 2023
The Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reports that the incident occurred after a fan had made “racist comments” to Berghuis’ teammate Brian Brobbey.
Berghuis began his career in 2011 with Twente, but he only stayed for a year before moving on.
He signed for Watford in 2015 under Quique Sánchez Flores, as part of an enormous summer spending spree.
But after just one season, he ended up playing 11 games and couldn’t get on the scoresheet, so was sold to Feyenoord.
Transfers you didn’t know happened.
Steven Berghuis ➡️ Watford pic.twitter.com/yomTS0goCr
— Harvey 🏴 🇦🇱 (@THFCHarvey18) December 31, 2022
In 2021, after five seasons there, Berghuis joined rivals Ajax and celebrated a league title win in his debut season.
But it’s been a disappointing campaign for them, with Feyenoord claiming the title.
Ajax finished the season third, and Berghuis’ frustration was evident.
The club fired Alfred Schreuder, who replaced Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag in February.
They replaced Schreuder on an interim basis with former Everton centre-back John Heitinga, giving him the job until the end of the season.
This is what fas had to say as the ex-Watford player PUNCHES a fan in a heated altercation ‘after his teammate is racially abused’…
@rajywhuaaat: I say well done to him. He stood up for his teammate who was being racially abused. He took a stand. He should be applauded 👏🏽
@stemurphy92: Fair enough then isn’t it
@kendallrowanx: Football leagues take note!!!!!
@Reece_Haynes: Big up Berguis chat shit get bangedd, people who have any sort of racist/abusive agenda need it to many half hearted threats and minimum sentencing, if clubs will defend players deduct points and hearty fine……
@Amopinion08: Good. I would have done the exact same, but worse. I never condone violence but he knows and I know that the fan needed taught a lesson. I hate people who are rude, and racist. Well done to Berghuis for keeping his temper after that. I couldn’t have.
@CalvinSedenu: That’s how you deal with it 👏🏾
@ccama15: It’s about time fans stopped thinking they can say whatever they want with no repercussions
@s_jooona: Well done to berghuis then
@JFritz66: Well deserved in that case
@MikeyArtois: 100% justified. He tried to hit someone shouting racist remarks about Brobbey.
@FrankyM2021: Good – fans getting too brave nowadays tbh. If you can’t back it, hold your mouth.
@fenian__army: He done right. Guy should be praised for this. The fans near that person should of took the same action
@ZachLowy: I don’t condone violence but racists need to feel unsafe and uncomfortable — they need to know that if they racially abuse another human being, they’re going to get punched in the face
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