‘He isn’t good… he doesn’t hurt anyone’ – Michael van Gerwen destroys Luke Littler’s rival with brutal assessment
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has brutally taken aim at Luke Littler’s rival Ricardo Pietreczko for “not being very good”.
The German darts ace, 30, infamously squared up to Nuke when he was just 17 at last year’s Belgian Open with a fierce flurry of insults.
The pair have since traded barbs, but Van Gerwen is the latest to weigh in – suggesting Germany need to up their oche game.
Van Gerwen said: “The spectators in Germany are phenomenal. I spend 15 weeks a year in Germany, I like it here.
“[But] Germany needs really, really good players. That’s what’s still lacking.
“[Martin Schindler, Gabriel Clemens and Florian Hempel] play good darts, but they have to take the next step now. That’s important for a country as big as Germany.
“The next step is, for example, the Premier League of Darts. There is still no German participant there.
“But that would be the next important step.”
When asked about Pietreczko – dubbed Pikachu – after he reached the last 16 of the Darts World Cup, MVG delivered a final, almighty blow.
The Dutchman ranted: “Ricardo isn’t really good. He’s a nice boy, I like him. But he doesn’t hurt anyone.”
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Never shy to ruffle some feathers, Van Gerwen has also taken aim at the Premier League line up, insisting it “could have been stronger”.
MVG said: “It’s an incredibly difficult decision for the PDC to choose the line-up – I think they did well.
“It’s quite strong but it could have been a little bit stronger.
“I miss one good player – Michael Smith.
“But outside that, it’s eight really good darts players and that’s what people want to see.
“Moving forward we want to create an atmosphere, too.
“It’s important to be a good player but it’s also how you come on stage and the show you put on. That’s all part of it.
“It’s very hard for the PDC to pick the line-up, but I still think they did well.”
Premier League Darts 2025: Dates and venues
Night 1 – Belfast: Humphries beat Dobey 6-1
Night 2 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow – Thursday February 13
Night 3 – 3Arena, Dublin – Thursday February 20
Night 4 – Westpoint Exeter – Thursday February 27
Night 5 – The Brighton Centre – Thursday March 6
Night 6 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham – Thursday March 13
Night 7 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff – Thursday March 20
Night 8 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Thursday March 27
Night 9 – Uber Arena, Berlin – Thursday April 3
Night 10 – AO Arena, Manchester – Thursday April 10
Night 11 – Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam – Thursday April 17
Night 12 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday April 24
Night 13 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday May 8
Night 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 15
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29