Liverpool’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night was marred by controversy surrounding a challenge from Ibrahima Konate.
The French defender has firmly rejected claims that he should have been sent off for his tackle on Bradley Barcola during the first half.
The Controversial Challenge and Referee’s Decision
The incident took place in the 25th minute when Barcola broke free and made a run into the Liverpool penalty area.
Konate, seemingly beaten to the ball, made contact with his international teammate, sending him to the ground.
PSG players immediately appealed for both a penalty and a red card, but referee Davide Massa waved play on.
After a VAR review, the decision stood, as no clear and obvious error was found.
PSG, understandably frustrated by the decision, saw their sporting director, Luis Campos, confront officials in the tunnel at halftime, insisting that the challenge should have resulted in a red card and penalty.
However, Konate remained calm and unbothered by the protests.
Konate’s Response to the Incident
Addressing the incident after the match, Konate was adamant that no foul had been committed.
He spoke to Canal Plus, stating, “There was a VAR check. If there was a push, like you said, I would have been shown a red card. I’m telling you that there wasn’t a foul.”
He further explained, “It’s true that I am very strong, but I don’t apply power, I just put my arm.
If I had put a lot more power into it then we could talk about it… but it was soft from me.”
Pundits Disagree with Konate’s View
Despite Konate’s insistence, several pundits disagreed with his take on the challenge.
Rio Ferdinand, commenting on the game for TNT Sports, felt that the foul deserved a red card and a penalty for PSG.
He argued, “That’s a foul, and that’s in his back. That’s a red card. If that’s not a red card, I’ll be amazed.”
Ferdinand went on to add during halftime, “I can’t believe how lucky Liverpool are here.
How has VAR not picked it up? He is barging between the shoulder blades on his back.”
Late Drama and Liverpool’s Victory
The controversy over the challenge only intensified as the game wore on.
Moments after the VAR review of the challenge, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s goal for PSG was ruled out for offside after another VAR check, adding to the growing sense of frustration for the French side.
While Liverpool struggled to create scoring chances for much of the match, they found the back of the net late in the game with a goal from substitute Harvey Elliott.
This late strike gave the Premier League side a vital 1-0 victory and put them in a strong position ahead of the second leg at Anfield.
Looking Ahead to the Second Leg
Despite the drama and controversy, Liverpool’s win puts them in control heading into the second leg, but PSG will certainly be eager to bounce back.
The game was a reminder that in high-stakes matches like these, every decision matters, and VAR continues to be a key talking point in the modern game.