© BELGIAN
Union striker Deniz Undav did not give the smartest interview on Thursday evening after the top match against Club Brugge. The German was not pleased with the performance of referee Lawrence Visser and did not mince his words. He will receive a “formal warning” from the football association for this.
Jonas Withouck
Today at 10:08
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“Winning against Club Brugge is difficult, especially if they get help from the ref”, Undav said after the game in front of the cameras of Eleven Sports. “We played against twelve today, I said that to the ref.” Teammate Dante Vanzeir, who was interviewed along with Undav, seemed to realize that he had to intervene. “The match is over, Deniz”, his striker brother said to him.
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office looked into Undav’s statements on Friday morning. “We deal with everything from media commentary to referees and especially when the integrity of referees is questioned,” said Federal Procurator Ebe Verhaegen. “We have decided to formally notify Undav. Because he has a clean criminal record and it happened immediately after the match,” Verhaegen explains the extenuating circumstances. “With a clear message that it cannot be repeated. Otherwise we will prosecute him.”
However, it would not have been the first time that someone has been prosecuted for critical statements about the referee. This also happened with Laszlo Bölöni, the then coach of Antwerp, who questioned the integrity of referee Bram Van Driessche in 2017.
Pro League can also intervene
The Pro League can also consider a sanction for Undav. “What the Pro League does is separate from what we do,” explains Federal Procurator Verhaegen. “In theory, a club or a player can be punished by both us and the Pro League for the same infringement. The football association takes disciplinary action and the Pro League monitors the good order of its own organization more,” concludes Verhaegen.
It is not yet clear whether the Pro League will intervene after Undav’s statements. An official communication from the interest organization of Belgian professional clubs may follow later in the day.
