Ajax defender Anton Gaaei deletes all social media posts due to hate messages following 2-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar

Ajax defender Anton Gaaei has deleted all of his Instagram posts on Sunday night, due to hate messages he received on the social media platform. Gaaei was substituted just 36 minutes into Ajax’s 2-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar, as manager John Van ‘t Schip looked to tighten things up at the back. Supporters were quick to take their anger out on the 21-year-old, flocking to his social media posts to write hate comments.

Gaaei joined Ajax from Viborg last summer in a move worth around €4.5m. The Danish right-back has struggled to impress so far, registering 16 Eredivisie appearances in which Ajax have won just six times with him in the side. Sunday’s defeat to AZ left Ajax fifth in the table, with a six point gap between them and fourth place.

Speaking to the media after the match about Anton Gaaei’s situation, John Van ‘t Schip said: “I find this very annoying, but yes, this is going on these days with social media.” Van ‘t Schip substituted Anton Gaaei before half-time, with Ajax a goal down due to some scrappy defending. “It’s my responsibility that I set him up and also that I took him off. I find it very annoying and that this is happening now, it is absolutely not what I would want. But the moment you see things piling up in the first half we still felt we had to take him off.”

About all the abuse on social media, Van ‘t Schip said: “You don’t wish this on anyone. I certainly don’t wish it on him. Anton is just a very nice guy. But yes, these things happen in football. Mentally he was a bit down afterwards.” Ajax are now winless in their last four league games. Next weekend, the Amsterdammers face Utrecht, who are currently on a remarkable 15-game unbeaten run.