Roberto Firmino’s off-pitch behaviour has made headlines this week, and football fans have had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
The Liverpool attacker was fined £20,000 and hit with a 12-month driving ban after he was arrested for drink-driving on Christmas Eve.
The Brazilian was stopped by police and subsequently charged, and appeared before the Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Firmino’s legal representative Michael Hogan argued his client’s case by saying that the incident occurred the day after his home was burgled, reports Sky Sports.
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The 25-year-old issued an apology, admitting that he set a bad example with his behaviour, while the club have issued a statement claiming that Firmino has been pushed internally, but will not be banned from selection.
The player said:
“I apologise, without reservation, to the club, the manager, my team-mates and the supporters for putting myself in this situation. What I have done is wrong and sets a bad example. I promise to everyone in the LFC family that I will learn from this mistake, learn from this experience, and not repeat it in the future.”
A Liverpool spokesperson described their player’s drink-driving behaviour as “an isolated incident and a rare lapse in judgement and professionalism.”
Football fans took to Twitter to give their thoughts on the verdict, with some calling for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to keep him out of the team as punishment.
Some Reds supporters have thrown their support behind Firmino, while other social media users have taken the opportunity to mock.
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