Fuming former Ajax striker Theo Janssen has slammed Rangers over the Ibrox pitch after defender Owen Wijndal's injury during the Champions League finale.
It was a positive night for the Dutch champions as they rounded off their Champions League group stage campaign with a comfortable 3-1 win in Govan, which mathematically sealed third spot in Group A ahead of Gio van Bronckhorst's side. It was a nightmare end to the European campaign for Rangers after Francisco Conceicao's late goal saw them fall to the worst ever group stage performance and a -21 goal difference.
However, the Dutch media have been left reeling after full-back Wijndal limped off in the second half, having slid off the pitch and clashed with an advertising board. The Netherlands international was in a foot race with backtracking Rangers star Fashion Sakala when he slipped into the divot at the edge of the pitch, used for water drainage.
Wijndal has already missed a large chunk of the season so far with an ankle knock, and reports suggest the collision has aggravated the knock with Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal set to name his World Cup squad imminently. It has cast doubt on the 22-year-old's chances of jetting off to Qatar, and Janssen blamed the layout of Ibrox for the knock.
He told Ziggo Sports: "That is very normal in England and Scotland: those fields all drain unbelievably. It is good for the fields, because the water drains better, but it is life-threatening for a player."
At full-time whistle Wjindal attempted to ease fears over a long-term absence ahead of a scan, telling RTL7: It's the same ankle as at the beginning of this season, when I was out for quite a while. But I have to say it doesn't feel so bad right now.
"We put a lot of ice on it and I hope that swelling goes away soon. This injury is sour, but I need to get fit quickly now."
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