Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan was consoled by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk after the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Germany on Monday.
It is understood the 38-year-old official had discovered his mother had died in the build-up to the match. And Van Dijk showed his human side, embracing the emotional Hategan at the final whistle. “That man broke down, stood with tears in his eyes because he had just lost his mother,” Van Dijk said. “I wished him strength and said he had refereed well. It’s a small thing, but I hope it helped him.” Hategan recently took charge of Barcelona’s Champions League victory over Inter Milan. He also refereed the second leg of Manchester United’s Europa League semi-final win over Celta Vigo in 2017.
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