Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has personally contacted Liverpool striker Alexander Isak to apologise for the tackle that left the Swede with a broken leg. The serious injury occurred during Liverpool's 2-1 Premier League victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
A Costly Goal and a Fractured Fibula
The incident happened as Alexander Isak scored Liverpool's opening goal. As the £125 million forward shot, Van de Ven slid in forcefully in an attempt to block the effort. Isak's left leg was caught in a scissor movement, resulting in damage to his ankle and a fractured fibula.
Neither the on-field match officials nor the VAR team deemed the challenge worthy of a review, a decision that sparked immediate and sustained anger within the Liverpool camp after they viewed replays.
Slot's Fury and Frank's Defence
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot did not hold back in his criticism, labelling the challenge "reckless". He drew a sharp contrast with a recent incident involving Xavi Simons, which he felt was unintentional.
"I don't think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that," Slot said of the Simons incident. "But the tackle of Van de Ven? If you make a tackle like that 10 times, 10 times there is a serious chance the player gets a serious injury."
In stark contrast, Tottenham manager Thomas Frank vehemently defended his player on Tuesday, arguing that Van de Ven – a consistent performer for Spurs – was not out of control during the challenge.
Apology Accepted and Road to Recovery
The issue has been somewhat defused following a conversation between the two players on Tuesday. Slot revealed he had encouraged this contact, stating that players usually send a message when an opponent is seriously injured.
Isak underwent successful surgery on Monday. While Slot is confident his star striker will return to action before the season's end, provided his rehabilitation goes to plan, the manager's frustration over the incident remains palpable. The injury is expected to keep Isak sidelined for several months, a significant blow to Liverpool's campaign.
Slot acknowledged the defender's desperate intent to prevent a goal, noting that a lack of effort would also have been criticised. "If it is my player, you always want to see that he tries everything to prevent the other team scoring," Slot conceded. However, he reiterated his core point: "There was a bigger chance you injure a player with this challenge."
