Napoli beat AC Milan on Monday evening in a disappointing clash for second place. A single moment of brilliance from Matteo Politano proved enough to secure the win: 1-0. For viewers of Ziggo Sport, however, the focus was not on the match, but on co-commentator Wim Kieft.
In a lacklustre first half, there were few real chances. Milan delivered the first warning shot through Strahinja Pavlovic, and just before half-time, Scott McTominay tried his luck with a spectacular overhead kick. Both attempts went wide of the goal.
After the break, too, both teams seemed primarily intent on not losing. Christopher Nkunku found himself in a promising position but took too long to act. At the other end, Kevin De Bruyne tested Mike Maignan’s reflexes, which proved to be in fine fettle.
In the final half-hour, Milan brought Santiago Gimenez on. It looked as though the score would remain goalless, but nothing could be further from the truth. After a poor clearance by Koni De Winter, Politano struck: 1-0. In the closing stages, Napoli shut up shop, with Sam Beukema also coming on.
On X, there was constant irritation throughout the match regarding Kieft’s commentary. He was constantly breathing heavily into the microphone, which made for an unpleasant experience for Ziggo Sport viewers. Dozens of irritated viewers reported this on X.
“Ziggo, when are you going to do something about Wim Kieft’s heavy breathing during his co-commentary?! Unprofessional. Annoying. Do something about it,” reads one comment. “Can someone tell Kieft to take the microphone out of his nose,” writes another. “Is there no one who can give him a call?”
“It’s the second half and we’re happily carrying on with Wim Kieft’s panting and smacking,” says another viewer, who’s had enough. “After 35 minutes of Napoli v Milan, I’m giving up – Wim Kieft’s heavy breathing into the microphone is driving me absolutely mad. His nose has probably been a bit damaged over the years.”