Viewers furious over PSV v Heerenveen: 'Van Bommel escapes a red card again!'

Ruben van Bommel sparked more controversy on Friday night during PSV's home match against sc Heerenveen. In the 32nd minute, the PSV forward caught defender Sam Kersten full in the face with his foot but escaped without a card. Plenty of viewers reacted furiously on social media to referee Joey Kooij's decision.

The incident followed a long kick from PSV goalkeeper Matej Kovár. Van Bommel went for the ball with his foot while Kersten tried to head clear. The PSV player missed the ball completely and caught the Heerenveen defender full in the face.

Kersten hit the ground in obvious pain and needed treatment. Kooij gave a free-kick to Heerenveen but chose not to show Van Bommel a yellow or red card. Because of the new rule, Kersten then also had to stay on the touchline for a minute after his treatment.

That decision sparked outrage on social media. "Van Bommel kicks someone full in the face, doesn't touch the ball and gets nothing. Already the second time this season that he has escaped a red card. How many more times is Van Bommel going to get away with this? Disgrace!" an angry viewer wrote on X.

Earlier this season, remarkably, Joey Veerman, who now plays for Borussia Dortmund, was shown a red card for a similar challenge. During the Johan Cruyff Shield clash against AZ, the then PSV midfielder caught Mexx Meerdink in the head with his studs.

A different viewer pointed to an earlier incident: "If you see how often Van Bommel torpedoes someone, it cannot possibly have been accidental with Bouwman."

That was a reference to Van Bommel's much-discussed foul during the top-of-the-table league match between Ajax and PSV (1-3) on 5 September. In the 80th minute, the forward flew in hard on Ajax defender Aaron Bouwman, who was going for the ball with his head. Referee Sander van Eijk punished the collision then with only a yellow card.