Virgil van Dijk says he spoke to Xavi Simons after Tottenham red card and admits, “He injured me.”

Virgil van Dijk has addressed a reckless challenge he received from his international teammate Xavi Simons during Liverpool’s 2–1 victory over Tottenham.

Simons was one of two Spurs players dismissed in the match, which ended in another home Premier League defeat for the north London side. Initially booked for his tackle on Van Dijk, the Dutch midfielder was later shown a red card after VAR instructed the referee to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.

Following the game, Simons apologised to his teammates and supporters, and Van Dijk has since shared his response. Despite Tottenham boss Thomas Frank claiming the decision was overly harsh, the Liverpool defender supported the officials’ call.

Van Dijk explained that he spoke with Simons after the final whistle and acknowledged there was no intent to cause harm. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he said: “I don’t think there was any intention to hurt me, but I was hurt, and the referee and VAR decided to send him off. I did speak to him after the game — that’s a private conversation.”

The incident also highlights how VAR has influenced red card decisions. While the laws themselves have not changed, slow-motion replays often make challenges appear more severe than they seem in real time. Simons’ tackle, which lacked significant force, may not have resulted in a dismissal without video review. This issue has been noted by The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke, who argued that the laws were not designed to be judged under such detailed technological examination.