Xavi Simons Addresses Virgil van Dijk After Red Card Challenge in Tottenham–Liverpool Clash
Xavi Simons has broken his silence after being sent off during Tottenham’s 2–1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday, addressing the incident and offering a message to Virgil van Dijk.
After a quiet opening to the match, Spurs suffered a major setback when Simons caught Van Dijk’s leg with his studs in a heavy challenge. Following a VAR review, the referee was advised to check the pitchside monitor and subsequently upgraded the initial booking to a red card.
The dismissal proved costly for Thomas Frank’s team, as Liverpool dominated much of the remaining 57 minutes. Goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike put the visitors ahead, while Richarlison pulled one back for Tottenham before Cristian Romero was also sent off, compounding Spurs’ problems.
Simons appeared distraught as he left the field, continuing what has been a challenging start to his spell in north London as Frank works out how best to use him. Later, the 22-year-old took to social media to respond to the decision and to thank Van Dijk, who had comforted him after the incident.
Writing on Instagram, Simons said: “Mistakes happen. Virgil is my captain, and I would never intentionally hurt him or anyone. To my Spurs teammates, my manager and the fans, I take responsibility and I’m really sorry.”
After the match, Frank voiced his frustration with the red card when speaking on Match of the Day. The Danish coach argued that the challenge did not warrant a dismissal, suggesting it should have remained a yellow.
“I’ve seen them given, but I don’t like those kinds of red cards,” Frank said. “If that’s a red, the game is gone. I don’t think it was reckless or used excessive force. The referee initially gave a yellow, and that’s why I don’t believe it was a red.”
As a result of the sending-off, Simons will now serve a three-match suspension, ruling him out of fixtures against Crystal Palace, Brentford and Sunderland—an unwelcome setback for Frank as Tottenham face a demanding festive schedule.