Following Davy Klaassen’s head injury from a spectator-thrown object, the Dutch Cup semifinal between Feyenoord and Ajax was postponed for 30 minutes on Wednesday.
Early in the second half, Ajax midfielder Klaassen was celebrating near the corner flag at De Kuip when what appeared to be a lighter struck him in the back of the head.
As a result of the bleeding sustained by the Dutch international, referee Allard Lindhout decided to remove both teams from the pitch.
Play eventually resumed after a 30-minute break, during which Feyenoord assistant John de Wolf implored home supporters to “exercise their common sense.”
Klaassen attempted to continue, but he quickly collapsed while holding his head, and Brian Brobbey took his place.
But the 30-year-old ultimately had the last laugh as his goal proved to be the winner as Ajax held on to win 2-1 and advance to the final, where PSV await on April 30.
“These are always crazy matches when you play here,” Klaassen later told ESPN. “But we didn’t expect this. It goes beyond all limits.
“I felt something pretty hard. At first I felt anger inside, and I got even angrier when their goalkeeper [Timon Wellenreuther] ran over and shouted that I had to get up.
“Then another player looked at my head and it turned out I was covered in blood. I wanted to get away from the sidelines.
“I then had a throbbing feeling in my head and had trouble focusing so had to come off.”
Klaassen added that he is not sure yet whether he intends to press charges, with local police reporting that a 32-year-man had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Away fans have not attended ‘De Klassieker’ games since 2009 in an attempt to quell violence in the stands.