Darts player who Michael van Gerwen called 'pub' standard responds to apology

Daily Mirror

11-07-2025

Michael van Gerwen branded Pero Ljubic a 'pub player' after beating him in the first round of the Polish Darts Masters before issuing an apology to the Croatian
Michael van Gerwen has issued an apology to the darts rival he branded a 'pub player'. After narrowly winning 6-4 against Pero Ljubic in an underwhelming performance at the Polish Darts Masters, the triple world champion did not mince words when commenting on the Croatian's ability.
Van Gerwen, who recently split from wife Daphne, was well short of his best, but Ljubic, 47, couldn't take advantage as he exited the tournament at the first hurdle. The Green Machine derided both his own performance and the state of Ljubic's game.
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"It wasn't a good game at all. Pero needs to be happy that he won one leg. Pero is not a good player. Pero is a pub player, we all know that," said Van Gerwen, who was defeated in the quarter-finals by Rob Cross.
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"I'm not harsh. He is a lovely man but when you throw treble 12 for treble 20 then you need to go back to the dartboard [to practice]. I'm the one to blame. But I made Pero look good today. Pero won a few legs and it feels like his birthday!"
Van Gerwen, who has gone two years without winning a major tournament and failed to reach the Premier League play-offs, faced a backlash from fans for his brutal remarks. However, he has since issued an apology to Ljubic, who was unruffled by the comments, attributing MVG's reaction to discontent with his own performance.
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The 'Croatian Knight', as Pero is known, considers any issue with MVG water under the bridge. Per Oche 180, Pero said: "Michael and I have known each other for a long time. We like to have a laugh. There was no bad intention behind his words.
"He was just frustrated with his own performance, and I understand that. To be honest, Michael apologised to me straight away. As I said, we know each other well, and I know he meant no harm. In fact, during a later chat, he even gave me some motivation.
"He's a genuinely decent guy and a top-class player, so don't judge him too harshly. Emotions can run high in those moments. For me, what matters most is someone's honesty, not what the internet says.
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"As I mentioned, he regretted his words, and he apologised. That's enough for me. Once again, don't be too quick to judge. Emotions can take over in moments like that."
After withdrawing from this weekend's Baltic Sea Darts Open in Germany, Van Gerwen is now preparing for the World Matchplay in Blackpool, which begins on Saturday, July 19. He has been handed a blockbuster first-round clash against fellow Dutch icon Raymond van Barneveld, who only just qualified for the prestigious major via his standing in the ProTour Order of Merit.
One big name will be missing after 2023 world champion Michael Smith failed to qualify either via the world rankings or the ProTour order of Merit.