Virgil van Dijk admitted he was “angry” to be sent off during the Netherlands’ draw against Hungary on Friday night, insisting he did nothing wrong.
Liverpool captain Van Dijk was shown two yellow cards within the space of three minutes to be dismissed in the 79th minute in Budapest. It looked like it could be costly for Ronald Koeman’s side, who were 1-0 down at the time following Roland Sallai’s first-half volley.
But after the Dutch spurned several openings, Denzel Dumfries headed in Cody Gakpo ’s free-kick to equalise in the 83rd minute to earn a point in the Nations League. Van Dijk was annoyed with the nature of the red card – his first in 77 appearances for his national team.
The centre-back was shown the first yellow for dissent after approaching referee Lukas Fahndrich to complain as Donyell Malen was fouled on the counter-attack. The second came for a more straightforward foul, although Dumfries insisted “I think he touched the ball”.
Van Dijk told ESPN: "[The red card] is a bummer, should not have happened. But I'm especially angry about the first. They say the captain is the only one who can talk to the referee. I walk up to him. Up tempo, but not in a nasty way, not at all. Very respectful. Because I felt it was a breakaway player, he did not go for the ball at all. If even the captain can not say anything... then it gets difficult."
Koeman was also annoyed by the first yellow card, but suggested that, once on a booking, his captain should have avoided making the second foul. "That moment was frustrating," Koeman told NOS.
"I don't understand it. I think we agreed that a captain can protest to a referee. That foul [on Malen] was good for a red card. There was no intention at all to play the ball. That Virgil then takes that second card is not convenient. He knows that himself."
Van Dijk said he would stay with the Netherlands squad, despite now being suspended and unable to feature in the next Nations League game against Germany on Monday in Munich. “I am staying with the national team,” he insisted. “I want to be there for the group, this will not change."
The 33-year-old clearly wants to stay and support the team in his role as captain, but former Netherlands international Rafael Van der Vaart thinks his stance is ill-advised. "I would have gone home if I was Van Dijk,” he said. “You have so many games! Now you need to travel again, to Germany. I think Arne Slot would want this too, and that he could demand this."
Van Dijk will be back in action for Liverpool on Sunday, October 20, when the Reds welcome Chelsea to Anfield. Slot’s side will be hoping to continue their momentum at the top of the Premier League table, having won six of their seven league matches so far this season.
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