Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has defended Pascal Struijk after Harvey Elliott's horror ankle injury on Sunday.
Struijk was sent off in defeat to Liverpool after his slide tackle left Elliott with a dislocated ankle.
Radrizzani said today: "The incident was tough for Elliott, and I want him to recover completely. I hope he can be back soon, but it's part of football.
"If you see the situation again, then you can see that Struijk slips with his left leg into him, and it is an accident. It was not a deliberate act. I also think it was a wrong assessment by the referee.
"It's really hard to accept such a red card, and for me it could hardly be a yellow card. Me I personally feel with the kid (Harvey Elliott) as it can be a tough injury for him."
Asked directly if he does not agree that Elliott's safety was endangered, the Leeds owner replied: "Yes, I understand that the player's safety was endangered, but we cannot control the kind of damage you get on the field, because it is part of the game.
"If you see the clip many times, then you understand that it is an unfortunate injury because Struijk gets the ball, but then his left leg slides into him, so it is very unfortunate. But of course I feel for Elliott."
Need a VPN? Or seeking to switch? Then support Tribal Football by clicking here to sign up with our official partners NordVPN. Not only will you receive the best VPN experience, but also great discounts by signing up via Tribal Football. Thanks for your support!