FC Den Bosch goalkeeper disputes red card for alleged handball

FC Den Bosch goalkeeper Pepijn van de Merbel has expressed disbelief following a red card received during a 2-2 draw against MVV Maastricht. The 24-year-old claims the decision by referee Andy Wolff was incorrect, asserting that he played the ball with his head rather than his hand.

Van de Merbel stated that while he made contact with MVV striker Thijme Verheijen during the play, the referee explicitly cited a handball as the reason for the dismissal. The goalkeeper noted the absence of VAR to correct the decision and expressed expectation that the incident would be reviewed by officials.

In addition to the controversial dismissal, Van de Merbel faced difficulty during the match, including conceding an ‘Olimpico’ when MVV’s Robert Klaasen scored directly from a corner kick. The goalkeeper attributed the goal to difficult wind conditions despite having three players positioned in the corner.