THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A soccer hooligan who ran onto the field during PSV Eindhoven’s Europa League match against Sevilla and punched the Spanish club’s goalkeeper in the face was sentenced Wednesday to two months in prison.
The 20-year-old, who was identified as Dylano K. in line with Dutch privacy guidelines, was convicted of assaulting goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic and breaching a stadium ban imposed by national soccer federation the KNVB. Local authorities had also had banned him from the area around the PSV stadium.
Prosecutors said last month he had two previous convictions for soccer-related offenses and was under the influence of alcohol when he ran onto the field late in the match on Feb. 23 and punched Dmitrovic. The goalkeeper was not injured and wrestled the hooligan to the ground before stewards marched him off the pitch.
UEFA opened a disciplinary case against PSV following the pitch invasion and the club is likely to be sanctioned by European soccer’s governing body.
The hooligan managed to get into the Philips Stadium using a ticket bought by a friend, the East Brabant District Court said in a statement.
“The suspect not only violated a stadium and area ban, he also went onto the field in a drunken state to assault a soccer player,” the court said. “This is completely disrespectful to the victim, the soccer clubs and all true supporters of PSV. In addition, the suspect was convicted twice in 2021 for soccer-related offenses.”
In addition to the two months behind bars, the man was sentenced to a further one-month prison term he would have to serve if he re-offends. In passing sentence, the judge took into account the fact that K. was fired from his job after the incident and kicked out of his supporters’ club.
In a statement after the incident, PSV General Manager Marcel Brands condemned the hooligan and said the club would discuss how better to enforce stadium bans.
“All PSV supporter organisations, who cheered on their team last night, unanimously and explicitly distance themselves from this disgraceful pitch invasion,“ Brands said in a statement.
PSV won the second leg match 2-0 but was eliminated 3-2 on aggregate.
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