Aston Villa left-back Ian Maatsen has been heavily criticised for his performance for the Netherlands Under-21s.
The Dutch defender has struggled to find his best form for his country, and former Chelsea and Netherlands ace Khalid Boulahrouz did not hold back with his thoughts on the 23-year-old.
Maatsen is certainly capable of being a top performer, having shone as a youngster at Chelsea before impressing on loan at Borussia Dortmund and then earning a permanent transfer to Villa.
Still, after the end of a long club season, it seems he’s not quite been at the right level for his national team this summer.
Ian Maatsen receives heavy criticism for Netherlands form
Discussing Maatsen’s poor performance, Boulahrouz said: “He plays football as if he is playing football somewhere in the Vondelpark (a park in Amsterdam).
“That is not possible. If you are talking about necessity, I hope that Maatsen apologises to the group during dinner and says: ‘I am going to rest, I am going to sleep, but I am not going to eat, because I do not deserve it’.
“He (Maatsen) has shown that he is a much better footballer than what he has shown in the last two games.
“He played in his own position today, come on man. What kind of performance is this?! If I were Reiziger, I would think: ‘I feel a little betrayed somewhere’.
“Maybe betrayed is a very big word, but: I have given you all my trust. I expect at least that you set an example for the group. And now you are a bad example for the group.”
