FC Utrecht have apologised to Liverpool attacker Ryan Babel over the way their fans abused his mother last week.
The Dutch club were visitors to Anfield on Thursday night for their Europa Cup tie. Utrecht fans baited Babel with chants about his mother being a whore.
Babel said: "It was not nice for me. I know why they did it. It has everything to do with the fact that I have an Ajax background.
"Ajax is the biggest rival club of Utrecht. Although I have left there four years ago and class myself as a real Liverpool player, they see it differently.''
Utrecht chairman Jan Willem van Dop said: "I contacted Dirk Kuyt, who used to be a Utrecht player, for Ryan's details. Once I got them I wrote to Ryan and offered him our apologies. Stuff like that should not be said by our fans."
