Simon Jordan makes feelings clear on Cardiff City - Portsmouth controversy involving Bielik | OneFootball

Simon Jordan has responded to the controversial incident involving Krystian Bielik from Portsmouth's win over Cardiff City

Simon Jordan has claimed that it’s natural for a professional footballer to react to a fan lays hands on them following the incident involving Krystian Bielik in Portsmouth’s clash against Cardiff City.

Bielik was at the centre of an incident involving a supporter around the 70-minute mark when footage showed that the fan appeared to be pushed in the throat.

The Pompey supporter had thrown the ball over the 28-year-old when he went to retrieve it for a throw-in.

John Mousinho’s side won 2-0, but the victory was overshadowed by this controversy, and the fallout is likely to rumble on into the next few weeks with the Hampshire police now reportedly investigating.

Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy claimed after the game that Bielik had been slapped in the face by the young fan.

The Football Association are also set to step in on the incident, and any further action will likely wait until after they’ve examined the referee’s report of the game.

Simon Jordan claims players have limits to what they can put up with

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Jordan has claimed that professional footballers have limits to what they can put up with, as some of the drawbacks of being a public figure are natural but then a physical alteration is drawing a line.

He believes that being physically assaulted, and their families being insulted, are a bridge too far for what a player can reasonably be expected to live with, no matter how much they are paid.

“I’m always of the mindset with the players, they’re in a profession that’s in the public domain, they’re very rewarded, they’re lauded and applauded and some of it will come some horrible things said to you and about you,” said Jordan, via Talksport.

“And, as a professional footballer, you’ve got to get on with that.

“But there’s also a part where you say ‘how far does that extend?’

“How far do you take it because footballers are paid hundreds of thousands of pounds a week, or in the Championship £20,000-a-week, and the average salary in this country is £35,000.

“Do they have to be abused to the point where their family are very insulted, or they’re physically assaulted under the auspice of being a professional footballer?

“No, I don’t think so.

“But what do you do in the moment? You’re a human being, it’s a human reaction,” he continued.

“If, indeed, the young man, that’s what happened, laid hands on a footballer.”

Simon Jordan questions club fines for poor fan behaviour

Jordan also questioned what more clubs can do to avoid being punished when a fan acts out with poor behaviour, suggesting that they already pay the bill to provide stewards at matches to oversee the crowd.

“You can’t start moving into the territory, which upsets me as a former club owner, where people are starting to have to come to the club and say ‘I’m going to fine you because your fans wouldn’t do as they were told’,” he added.

“Well I’ve done everything I could, I stuck as many stewards in there as I can, I put them all in there, paid them to be there and the fans do what they do.

“Why have I got to pay for their transgressions?

“And, unfortunately, it’s a societal thing where social media gives people a sense of entitlement.

“They think they can say and do what they want, and they take that into the real world.

“And footballers shouldn’t have to put up with it.”

Bielik made the move to Cardiff in the summer, arriving from West Brom in the final weeks of the window.

The 28-year-old has already made three appearances in Barry-Murphy’s side, featuring in a 2-2 draw against Sheffield United and a 2-1 loss to QPR before the Portsmouth loss.

The Bluebirds are in their first season back in the Championship after earning automatic promotion from League One in 2025/26.

Cardiff are currently 22nd in the table, and have yet to win from any of their five opening league fixtures.

Next up for the Welsh outfit is a home clash against Stoke City this evening in a 7.45pm kick-off.

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Krystian Bielik situation is a mess for Cardiff

Bielik’s reaction to allegedly being slapped is a natural one, but it will be difficult for him to escape punishment.

The police are now investigating the matter, and it remains to be seen what will come from that, but the FA could also hand out a punishment.

Eric Dier received a four-game ban and a fine worth £40,000 when he had an altercation with a fan following an FA Cup defeat to Norwich City in 2020.

It’s possible that Bielik could find himself on the receiving end of a similar, if not even more severe, punishment in the near future, if the FA decide to move forward with an investigation of their own after reviewing the referee’s report.