Though it did nothing to influence the result, pundits and fans alike were baffled as Darwin Nunez was denied a clear penalty in Liverpool’s 1-0 win at RB Leipzig.
Liverpool made it three wins from three in the Champions League as Nunez’s first-half goal was enough to seal all three points at Leipzig.
But it could have been an entirely more comfortable night had either referee Sandro Scharer or VAR Fedayi San ruled that Nunez had been tripped by centre-back Willi Orban in Leipzig’s penalty area.
Scharer waved appeals away and a check by San in the VAR booth lasted seconds, though footage afterwards clearly showed that the No. 9 had been fouled.
"I don't know how VAR have looked at this and said 'play on!'"
Rio Ferdinand and Steve McManaman were shocked that Liverpool weren't given a first-half penalty ?
? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/UoEugqrPSA
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 23, 2024
Unsurprisingly, Nunez protested with Scharer, who had already booked Alexis Mac Allister for diving when he had been legitimately fouled, though that fell on deaf ears.
The consistency of the official left Rio Ferdinand baffled in the TNT Sports studio, as he insisted: “This is definitely a penalty.
“I don’t know how VAR have looked at this and said ‘no, right, play on’. I do not know.
“When you see this in slo-mo there’s contact. VAR would have seen that angle and they’ve said no. I cannot believe it!”
Alongside Ferdinand on punditry duties, ex-Liverpool winger Steve McManaman unsurprisingly agreed.
“Of course it’s a penalty, isn’t it? Of course it’s a penalty,” he said.
“Darwin Nunez works hard, he made that penalty himself – or what we expected should have been a penalty – just by hard work and running, chasing down lost causes.”
The sentiment was shared by fans on social media, with it becoming clear that it is not only the Premier League that is experiencing a lack of quality officials.
The officiating tonight in the Leipzig vs Liverpool game has been horrific. Alexis Mac Allister booked for diving when he was clearly fouled. Darwin Nunez brought down for what looked a dead cert penalty. Ref & VAR both said no. Remarkable.
— Ryan Taylor (@RyanTaylorSport) October 23, 2024
The refereeing in the Leipzig vs Liverpool game has been very poor.
Cautioning Mac Allister for a dive that wasn’t. And missing the clear foul on Núñez for a penalty with VAR backing him up somehow.
— David Simpson (@WhistleBlowerDK) October 23, 2024
That Nunez incident is one of the most blatant penalties you will ever see and the ref was not even sent to the VAR monitor to review it. Genuinely how hard is it to use that technology correctly, it’s been 5 years now
— Drew (@LFC_Drew) October 23, 2024
How did the ref and VAR both come to a conclusion that it wasn't a penalty for a foul on Nunez in that half is absurd. Just one of the incidents from that atrocious refereeing performance from the first half. That level of officiating would put PL referees to shame.
— FantasticFirmino9????? (@MPBFirmino9) October 23, 2024
I don’t get VAR at times, if you can’t overturn stuff like that trip on Nunez then what’s the point ?
— Alex Howroyd (@alex_howroyd) October 23, 2024
How Nunez didn’t get a penalty is beyond me… VAR at its finest again?????
— Dan Carey (@DJCarey8) October 23, 2024
It doesn’t matter what country you are playing in they all can’t get VAR right. Nunez penalty shout, stone wall pen. Joke! #YNWA
— John Devereux (@DevereuxJohn13) October 23, 2024
The referee and VAR ignoring that blatant trip on Darwin Nunez might be worse than any call I’ve seen from a premier league referee this season. https://t.co/wSReAeJRbn
— Footalyse (@footalyse) October 23, 2024
Fortunately, with Liverpool holding strong in the second half and Caoimhin Kelleher making a number of saves, being denied a penalty was not costly.
If the game had ended in a draw it would have been a significantly bigger talking point, but with the Reds coming away with a win, it simply stands as another example of bizarre refereeing.
Given the focus on officials after almost every game in the Premier League, Scharer’s performance was a timely reminder that things are no better in Europe.
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