Rio Ferdinand “can’t believe how lucky Liverpool were” in their smash-and-grab victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday as an ex-PGMOL chief agrees that Ibrahima Konate was “very fortunate”.
Harvey Elliott scored an unlikely winner with his first touch having come off the bench in the 87th minute after Liverpool had been battered by PSG throughout, with Alisson keeping Arne Slot’s side in the game with a string of outstanding saves.
And Liverpool also had “luck” on their side according to Ferdinand, who couldn’t believe Ibrahima Konate wasn’t given his marching orders in the first half.
The centre-back pushed Bradley Barcola in the back as the PSG forward was bearing down on Alisson’s goal, but the referee waved appeals away and although VAR paused the game, it was decided the on-field official had not made a ‘clear and obvious’ error, so his decision stood.
“That’s a foul,’ Ferdinand said on TNT Sports commentary. “And that’s in his back, that’s a foul. It’s a red card.”
“It’s that’s not a red card, I’ll be amazed,” Ferdinand added during the VAR checks.
“And it will be a shame if it does go down to 10 against 11 in that sense, because you want the best players playing it equally in the 90 minutes.”
Speaking at half-time on TNT Sports, Ferdinand doubled down, claiming Konate clearly “barged” Barcola.
“I can’t believe how lucky Liverpool are here. How has VAR not picked it up,” he said.
“He is barging between the shoulder blades on his back.”
The incident occurred just moments after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia thought he had given PSG a deserved lead with a sublime curled effort into the far corner, only for the goal to be ruled out for a marginal offside after another VAR check.
Keith Hackett – the former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official – also reckons Konate should have been shown “a red card for the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity’.
The former referee told Football Insider: “That is a push and has denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity which should have resulted in a red card. VAR should have advised the referee to visit the monitor to review his decision.
“When Konate was chasing the PSG player who was in a very clear goal scoring opportunity, you thought to say leave him alone but no he pushed him over.
“The referee gives nothing, VAR looks at it, does nothing, it’s a clear and obvious error and Konate’s very fortunate not to have a red card for the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity.”