Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino Charged with Drunk Driving on Christmas Eve

News broke earlier today that, having been pulled over late on Christmas Eve, Roberto Firmino has been officially charged with driving drunk. He is set to appear in court on Tuesday, January 31st. The club have let it be known that they will not comment on the issue until the legal process has run its course.

Whether Firmino will miss any action as a result, or whether the club’s refusal to comment until the final court decision is in at the end of January signals he will still be involved in tomorrow’s game against Stoke City, isn’t known at this time. It is likely, however, that he will play.

The most recent Premier League star to be charged with driving while drunk was Manchester City’s Yaya Toure, who was fined £54k and banned from driving for 18 months following an incident late in November. He missed a match against Chelsea while due to attend court but otherwise remained involved.

In an odd coincidence, Firmino’s court date on the 31st of January coincides with Liverpool’s second match of the season against Chelsea, meaning that at the very least Firmino’s apparent reckless, stupid decision to drive while drunk on Christmas Eve will see him miss that game.

Assuming, as is likely, that the charges are a fair reflection of his state and decisions on that night, he can count himself fortunate if that—and a likely fine and driving ban similar to the one Toure was handed—ends up the sum extent of any negative consequences of his actions.