Adil Rami, the former defender for AC Milan and Olympique de Marseille, expressed disbelief at the refereeing decision during the UEFA Champions League face-off between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), held at Parc des Princes. In a highly debated incident, Ibrahima Konate’s tackle on Bradley Barcola, which sent the PSG striker crashing to the turf, wasn’t penalized, leading to audible gasps of shock and confusion, notably from Rami.
The contentious moment unfolded in the first half of the match, which ended with Liverpool narrowly edging out PSG 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League tie. The VAR (Video Assistant Referee) scrutinized Konate’s challenge for any signs of a red-card-worthy offense. The contention stemmed from the possibility of a goal-scoring opportunity being denied unfairly. Despite the review, the referee decided to let the game proceed without any punitive measures.
Rami, airing his views on his Twitch channel, did not mince words about what he perceived as a glaring oversight (as reported by Le10Sport). “It’s an indisputable foul. No second thoughts about that. I don’t even engage in a debate, nor do I consider the chat’s opinion. It’s undoubtedly a foul. The real conundrum is whether it occurred inside the penalty area or not. He clearly pushes him,” remarked Rami.
The seasoned defender went on to assert that Konate, by his evaluation, committed a foul, which, in his view, warranted a red card for the 26-year-old Liverpool player. Such a move would have significantly changed the game dynamics by reducing Liverpool to 10 players. Rami expressed his shock at the referee’s decision, stating, “In my book, that’s a red card. How could he not blow the whistle for that? It’s downright shocking.”
While the first leg of the tie saw Liverpool inching ahead with a solitary goal, the outcome is far from sealed. PSG, trailing by just a goal, faces the daunting task of matching their home performance on Liverpool’s turf at Anfield and converting their scoring chances more effectively.
