Liverpool have fined midfielder Javier Mascherano after he admitted a Football Association charge of improper conduct following his sending-off away to Manchester United last weekend.
Mascherano asked for a personal hearing which is expected to take place in London next Friday. But today Anfield boss Rafael Benitez also revealed that Mascherano had been fined by the club - believed to be the maximum two weeks' wages of around £100,000 - with the 23-year-old asking that the money be donated to charity.
Benitez said: "Javier is a fantastic professional and he knows he made a big mistake, he apologised to his team-mates and the supporters and he has now apologised to the referee.
"He accepts he lost control after the sending-off and has said sorry to the referee. I have also talked with him now and told him he would be fined by the club, and he has accepted that and wants the money donated to charity.
"We would like a personal hearing now. This was the first red card of our season and we do not have problems of this kind. We will now await the outcome of the hearing and the lawyers are now working on it."
Mascherano will serve an initial one-match ban in the Merseyside derby on Sunday. It is possible that that suspension could be extended for two more matches if he loses the appeal.
