Virgil van Dijk said he was “angry” with the decision to give him the first of two yellow cards as he was sent off for the first time in his Netherlands career in Friday’s 1-1 Nations League draw with Hungary.
The Liverpool defender received two yellow cards in three minutes late in the second half, the first for dissent and the second a foul which was a straightforward booking.
That first card, for protesting after Donyell Malen was brought down as he surged towards goal with the Dutch trailing their hosts 1-0, left Van Dijk particularly frustrated.
“[The red card] is a bummer, should not have happened. But I’m especially angry about the first,” Van Dijk told ESPN Netherlands.
“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.”
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was also left perplexed by his captain’s first booking.
“That moment was frustrating,” Koeman told the 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.”
Koeman confirmed he will not add to his squad for Monday’s visit to Germany, who head Nations League Group A3 with seven points from three matches, two more points than the Netherlands.
It makes it a vital fixture in which the Dutch could rise to the top of the pool, or conversely be cut five points adrift with two games to play.
Koeman was left with a “reasonable feeling” after the draw in Budapest in which his side trailed to a first-half goal from Roland Sallai, but equalised late on through Denzel Dumfries, a goal that came after Van Dijk’s red card.
“We didn’t surrender, we went to play one-on-one and made the equaliser,” he added. “Then they [Hungary] created some dangerous situations, but we defended well. That way you leave with a reasonable feeling.”
Van Dijk isn’t available to feature in Netherlands’ clash against Germany on Monday and has subsequently left the national camp to return to Liverpool. Koeman will not be naming a replacement for him in the squad.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.