Bosz defends shaken Van Bommel after flashpoint in PSV win at Ajax

Peter Bosz defended Ruben van Bommel after the PSV winger’s forceful collision with Aaron Bouwman overshadowed a 3-1 Eredivisie victory at Ajax. Bosz said Van Bommel was deeply affected by the incident and did not join his team-mates’ celebrations in the dressing room.

Speaking after the game, the PSV coach explained that Van Bommel had chased a bouncing ball at speed before realising a head-on collision might occur. According to Bosz’s account of their conversation, the attacker then turned his body in an attempt to protect himself. Bosz acknowledged that the resulting impact looked terrible but said it had not been Van Bommel’s intention to hurt Bouwman.

Bosz also reacted angrily when ESPN reporter Milan van Dongen suggested Van Bommel could have explained himself on camera. The coach said comments made in the studio, including references to the player’s family, had crossed a line. Voetbalzone reported that Bosz was responding to pundit Hugo Borst, who had used extreme language to describe the challenge and linked Van Bommel’s conduct to that of his father, Mark.

Borst did not withdraw his criticism after hearing Bosz’s response. He maintained that Van Bommel can lose control and said he believed similar traits had been visible in Mark Van Bommel’s playing style. Bosz, meanwhile, compared the punditry to the on-field confrontations surrounding the incident, arguing that neither should happen.