PSV wrapped up the Dutch championship after defeating Utrecht 4-3 with a dramatic stoppage-time winner, while Feyenoord stumbled to a 0-0 draw against 14th-place Volendam at the weekend. The result left Feyenoord 17 points behind PSV in second place, prompting jeers of “you should be ashamed” from their home fans.
Sterling, the former England, Liverpool, and Manchester City winger, started for Feyenoord but was substituted by manager Van Persie in the 77th minute. Since joining Feyenoord in January, Sterling has yet to score in the league and has contributed just one assist in four starts.
Reflecting on the disappointing performance, Van Persie said, “We mainly have to look within ourselves. We had enough chances to score a goal. As the game progressed, we became sloppier. We should have handled that better. Then you gain a bit more control, and that diminished in the second half. That is entirely our fault.”
Midfielder Luciano Valente echoed the sentiment, saying, “You go all out. It's not like you think we're going to play defensively; we don't want that either. You can't just walk forward like a bunch of blind men. It simply wasn't enough.”
Addressing the fans’ frustration, Valente added, “We've been hearing that for a while. We are second, with not exactly great play. That emotion is logical and clear, but we can't do much with it...”
Feyenoord’s inability to sustain pressure on PSV throughout the season has left fans disappointed, despite the club finishing in a respectable second place. Meanwhile, PSV celebrates another title, cementing their dominance in Dutch football.
Information from ESPN Netherlands contributed to this report.