Fan who punched Groningen player Willems 21 years not welcome at Euroborg

The KNVB and FC Groningen have handed out hefty penalties for the men who misbehaved during the FC Groningen – sc Heerenveen game.

The man who entered the field on March 19 may not show himself in a Dutch soccer stadium for 150 months (12.5 years). His underage son, who punched FC Groningen defender Jetro Willems from the stands, received a stadium ban of 126 months (10.5 years).

FC Groningen did not leave it at that and doubled the penalties in front of their own stadium. “Because players and all other employees of the club must at all times be able to do their work safely on and around the field in Euroborg,” is the club’s statement.

This means that the field offender will not be welcome at Euroborg for the next 25 years and the underage boy has a stadium ban of 252 months (21 years). In the case of the youngest offender, given his age, the club plans an evaluation moment to reassess the situation in the interim and offer perspective.

FC Groningen was also fined 10,000 euros for a group of spectators trespassing on the playing field at the home match against SC Cambuur on January 26, forcing the referee to temporarily stop the game. FC Groningen reports that it will recover the fine from the “field walkers.”

It is already the fourth (money) fine in a short time for the club. FC Groningen has recently been confronted with several incidents in the stadium, ranging from setting off fireworks and throwing objects on the field to field trespassing.