Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Mats Wieffer has admitted a recent duel with Burnley’s Quilindschy Hartman saw him using some underhand tactics.
Voetbal Primeur report comments from the Brighton man today from an interview with Prime Video in the Netherlands.
Burnley vs Brighton reunion
Burnley vs Brighton on April 11th was a special occasion for the Seagulls man, who has been converted into their new right-back this season.
Not only did he bag two goals in the game but it also saw him come up against an old friend in Quilindschy Hartman.
The pair came through at the Dutch club at the same time. They went on to play together in the first team and sharing major milestones such as Eredivisie titles and Champions League football. They remain good friends, despite going their separate ways in England.
That friendship was turned to rivalry in the game at Turf Moor. And Wieffer is happy to admit he used all the tricks in the book.
“I did have a brief chat with him, yes. It’s unbelievable that I then went on to score twice against him,” he said.
One interesting moment saw Hartman giving his former teammate a shove in the back just before half time. Wieffer admits that wasn’t as bad as it seems though. Instead, he took a bit of a dive.
“It was certainly a fun match,” he added.
“That was actually quite funny, because at another moment he pushed me too, and that time I took a bit of a dive.”
Different experiences in England
Whether Mats Wieffer and Quilindschy Hartman see each other again in England, remains to be seen.
Brighton are Premier League regulars at this point, while Burnley look destined for an immediate return to the Championship. Reports were already linking Hartman with a move away in the January transfer window.
There’s every chance the likelihood of an exit will only increase in the coming months. Should that happen, it will mean the two old friends might not be facing each other on the pitch again for a while.
The advantage, then, remains Wieffer’s after his “bit of a dive” in their meeting this month.
