Liverpool was eliminated from the Champions League after a controversial VAR decision overturned a penalty that could have changed the match against Paris Saint-Germain. The decision came when Liverpool was trailing 2-0 on aggregate and had a chance to equalize in the second leg.
Liverpool could not produce another famous European comeback at Anfield as they were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain - but had their second-half penalty not been controversially overturned, things could have been very different.
The hosts were trailing 2-0 on aggregate but still had the second leg finely poised at 0-0, knowing the pendulum could swing heavily in their favour if they made PSGâs net bulge.
It looked like they had secured the golden opportunity to do just that as Alexis Mac Allister went down under the challenge of Willian Pacho to earn Liverpool a penalty on 64 minutes.
Alexis Mac Allister goes down under the challenge of Willian Pacho in the box (Getty)
Alexis Mac Allister goes down under the challenge of Willian Pacho in the box (Getty)
Former referee Mark Clattenburg said on Prime Videoâs coverage of the match that he expected the call against what he branded a âclumsy challengeâ to stand, but to his and the commentatorsâ surprise, match official Maurizio Mariani was ordered to the pitchside monitor and promptly overturned his decision.
âWe talk about clear and obvious every time we talk about interventions,â Clattenburg, bemoaning the decision. âWhen we see the contact on Mac Allister, people will say itâs soft but itâs not wrong. There is contact. Once the referee gives it, I expect the penalty to be upheld.â
Liverpoolâs second-half penalty was contentiously overturned (PA)
Liverpoolâs second-half penalty was contentiously overturned (PA)
Alan Shearer then added: âIâm surprised as well because Mac Allister does ever so well to protect that ball, inviting the challenge in from Pacho and once he tries to get the ball and doesnât, and does make contact with him and the referee gives it, Iâm really, really surprised heâs overturned it.â
It proved the beginning of the end for Liverpoolâs hopes of a fightback, with PSG going up the other end and scoring through Ousmane Dembele eight minutes later, taking the aggregate score to 3-0.
Dembele then doubled his tally and PSGâs lead on the night in stoppage time to compound Liverpoolâs woes.
Q&A
What was the controversial VAR decision in the Liverpool vs PSG match?
The VAR decision overturned a penalty awarded to Liverpool after Alexis Mac Allister was fouled by Willian Pacho, which could have significantly impacted the game's outcome.
How did the overturned penalty affect Liverpool's chances in the Champions League?
The overturned penalty occurred while Liverpool was trailing 2-0 on aggregate, and scoring could have shifted momentum in their favor during the crucial second leg.
Who was the referee that made the controversial VAR call in the match?
Referee Maurizio Mariani was responsible for the controversial VAR decision that overturned the penalty for Liverpool against Paris Saint-Germain.
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