Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has publicly revealed the private text exchange with Alexander Isak following the challenge that resulted in the Liverpool forward suffering a broken leg.
The Incident and Immediate Aftermath
The serious injury occurred during Liverpool's 2-1 Premier League victory over Tottenham in London last weekend. Isak was scoring the opening goal when he was caught by a late, heavy challenge from Van de Ven.
The Sweden international subsequently underwent surgery on Monday to repair the damage, which included a fractured left fibula. The £125 million British record signing from Newcastle United is now expected to be sidelined for several months, dealing a significant blow to Liverpool's season.
Van de Ven's Apology and Isak's Response
Speaking to Sky Sports, Van de Ven explained that he reached out to Isak once the severity of the injury became clear. The Dutch defender insisted he had no malicious intent, stating his only aim was to block the shot.
"Yeah, I've texted him, of course," Van de Ven said. "I sent him a text because I didn't want to injure him. I didn't want to do something to hurt him, of course. I just wanted to try to block the shot."
He described the moment as unlucky, noting how Isak's foot landed between his legs during the slide. The defender's message was one of apology and well-wishes for a swift recovery. Van de Ven confirmed that Isak did reply, appreciating the gesture. "He really appreciated the message. He texted back," the centre-back added.
Managers in Dispute Over Tackle Nature
The incident has sparked a disagreement between the two managers. Liverpool boss Arne Slot was unequivocal in his assessment, labelling Van de Ven's challenge as "reckless."
"The tackle of Van de Ven, if you make that tackle 10 times then 10 times there's a serious chance a player could get a serious injury," Slot argued earlier this week, contrasting it with another incident he deemed unintentional.
However, Tottenham manager Thomas Frank strongly defended his player. Frank dismissed Slot's claim, framing the tackle as a natural, committed defensive action.
"I am obviously disagreeing in many ways," Frank stated on Tuesday. "We are talking about a defender that will do everything he can to avoid the goal... It is a natural action for a defender. Put it this way, if my defender does not do that, they are not true defenders!"
Frank pointed to the fact the players had communicated directly as a positive sign, describing Van de Ven as a "very fair" player.
The injury represents a major setback for Alexander Isak's start to his Anfield career and leaves a considerable hole in Liverpool's attacking options as the busy festive fixture period continues.
