The appeal didn’t work out for Liverpool central defender and team captain Virgil van Dijk. The FA ruling, that he verbally abused Referee John Brooks after getting red-carded, in the come-from-behind win at Newcastle United, stands. The first red-card of his career got Van Dijk suspended for match against Aston Villa this past Sunday.
His reaction to getting booked has now earned him a slightly longer suspension.
Virgil van Dijk statement ??? #LFC pic.twitter.com/ZbFXxddncD
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 8, 2023
VVD must now sit out the road clash at Wolves on Sept. 16, Liverpool’s first match after this international break. He’ll really be missed, as he provides both steady veteran leadership, but also a stellar, solid presence in the spine of defense.
The English Football Association statement said: “Virgil van Dijk has been suspended for one match and fined £100,000 for breaching FA Rule E3.1 during Liverpool’s Premier League fixture against Newcastle United on Sunday 27 August.
The defender admitted that he acted in an improper manner and used abusive and insulting words towards a match official after being sent off in the 29th minute, and the sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission.
“Full written reasons for this case will be published in due course.” More on this incident, and what it means here and here.
That means we won’t see the all-world Dutchman in action again until Sept. 24 when Liverpool visits West Ham United.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.