Belgian Pro League fans continue to tarnish their reputation with acts of violence and the latest were directed at Dirk Kuyt and his family.
The Liverpool and Netherlands great is still in his post at Beerschot after he guided them to promotion last season, and was taking on city rivals Royal Antwerp.
Beerschot picked up an impressive point as they drew 1-1 at home to the Belgian giants, but Kuyt was too angry about the off-pitch scenes.
Fireworks, firecrackers, smoke bombs and flares were thrown onto the pitch and across the stands, and Kuyt laid into Royal Antwerp fans post-match.
“They are just cowards,” he said. “That you throw fireworks into the audience – where our family is sitting – is simply unacceptable.
“How cowardly are the people who throw those fireworks on the field and at our players? Thibaud had to take a corner and a lighter was thrown at him. This is not acceptable, you keep your hands off our players.
“A firework bomb was also thrown at me, but it didn’t reach me, but my performance coach. That is extremely dangerous and it clearly didn’t do his ears any good.
“We didn’t behave well in the first leg either, but this was really not okay.”
Speaking later on, Antwerp’s coach Jonas De Roeck agreed with Kuyt, saying: “I certainly understand that.
“The battle must be fought on the field, for the rest we must ensure that it remains under control off the field.”
“But you shouldn’t ask us that question, other people should offer solutions for these kinds of problems.
“When foreign football looks at our competition, it’s almost always about things that happen outside the field, which is a shame.”
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