Erik Pieters pays the price for unauthorised night out
The Dutch left-back was left out of the Stoke team for the 2-1 loss to Everton on Saturday.
Stoke have fined Erik Pieters two weeks’ wages for breaking a club curfew before the loss to Everton, Press Association Sport understands.
The Dutch left-back was pictured with his wife at the launch night of Club Arvina in Hale on Friday evening less than 24 hours before the Potters’ crunch clash with the Toffees at the bet365 Stadium.
Pieters was not in Paul Lambert’s squad for a contest which Stoke lost 2-1, and the 29-year-old has now been internally disciplined by the club.
Stoke are in grave danger of losing their top-flight status after a decade in the division as they remain three points from safety with seven games remaining.
Chairman Peter Coates was critical of Pieters’ decision to go out prior to the game.
“The manager has dealt with it,” he told the Stoke Sentinel earlier this week.
“It is very disappointing for a senior player with all that experience not to understand we have a critical game and he should be approaching it in the right manner.”
Lambert has introduced a number of rules since arriving at the club in January, including fining players if they use their mobiles while they are eating together.
