Overview
- Referee István Kovács initially gave Liverpool a handball free-kick on the edge of the area before VAR sent him to the pitch-side monitor and he overturned the decision.
- VAR expert Dale Johnson explained that because the contact was inside the box it was reviewable as a potential penalty, yet the referee judged no offence and lawfully restarted with Real Madrid’s goalkeeper.
- Liverpool supporters voiced strong frustration on social media, calling the non-penalty outcome a disgrace and a VAR failure.
- Opinions diverged among analysts, with Mark Clattenburg and ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett favoring a penalty, while Wayne Rooney and former referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz backed the call to overturn.
- Liverpool won 1-0 at Anfield as Alexis Mac Allister headed in from a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, with Thibaut Courtois producing several notable saves.