Hugo Borst looks at the television program on Saturday evening From Eretribune van ESPN back again to Ajax’s defeat in the Conference League against Aston Villa. The team from Amsterdam lost 4-0 in England on Thursday and were therefore eliminated from Europe. In his devastating analysis, Borst focuses on one player: Sivert Mannsverk.
“Ajax had the honor of upholding European honor on behalf of the Netherlands for as long as possible. There were people who still believed in it. I thought that was quirky. But the away match against Aston Villa was a huge failure, a first-class disappointment. That is not surprising at all, because Ajax has not been doing well all season,” Borst introduces his story. “And one man took the crown: Mannsverk.”
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ESPN then shows some moments of Mannsverk against Aston Villa. First the midfielder’s tackle on Moussa Diaby in the fourteenth minute is shown. Mannsverk came in with a high leg and was eventually punished with a yellow card. Borst speaks of ‘a moronic attack’. “He got away well with that, because that is actually red.”
Then the loss of ball with which Mannsverk led Aston Villa to 2-0 after an hour is also shown, as well as his second yellow card of the evening, shortly afterwards. As a result, Ajax found itself with ten men halfway through the second half and Aston Villa was ultimately able to score a generous score. “He was very bad,” continues Borst, who predicts that Mannsverk is one of the many summer signings of Ajax who will soon leave Amsterdam. “He will eventually die too. Very few will remain from Mislintat’s list of purchases.”
