Erik ten Hag faced another setback as he managed his former club, FC Utrecht, in a testimonial match on Sunday.
This latest defeat adds to the mounting pressure on the Dutch manager, who is already reeling from Manchester United’s recent losses to Liverpool and Brighton.
The testimonial match was held in honor of Mark van der Maarel, a beloved club icon who retired recently after an impressive 15-year career at the Galgenwaard Stadium.
Van der Maarel, 35, spent his entire professional career at Utrecht, earning widespread admiration from fans and teammates.
The game saw a team of current Utrecht players take on a squad of former players, with ten Hag leading the latter. He had played for Utrecht briefly in 1995 and later managed the team for two years starting in 2015.
Ten Hag’s return to his old club was hoped to provide a morale boost before he resumes his duties at Manchester United early next week. However, his team fell short, losing 2-1. Urby Emanuelson and Ruud Boymans scored for the current Utrecht squad, while Van der Maarel’s late goal was not enough to secure a win for the former players.
Despite the defeat, ten Hag lauded Van der Maarel’s contribution, saying, “If you stay at this club for so long, you are a character. He has truly earned this.”
Van der Maarel, who debuted for Utrecht in 2009, made 397 official appearances for the club, placing him third on Utrecht’s all-time list for most games played.
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