Liverpool furious over VAR decision in the big clash against Real Madrid

One of the most disputed incidents in the Liverpool vs. Real Madrid game at Anfield was when referee Istvan Kovacs chose not to grant a penalty to the hosts following an obvious handball by Aurelien Tchouameni.

In the 30th minute of the game, when Dominik Szoboszlai took a shot aimed directly at Real Madrid’s goal, the ball struck Tchouameni’s right hand as he tried to block it. Initially, the referee awarded Liverpool a direct free kick, but slow-motion replays later showed the contact happened inside the penalty area.

When VAR was activated to review the incident, most fans in the Anfield stands and millions watching on TV were convinced a penalty would be given to the "Reds".

However, after personally reviewing the footage on the VAR screen, referee Kovacs upheld his decision not to award a penalty, reasoning that the ball hit Tchouameni’s left arm which was kept close to his body in a “natural position” and thus no foul was committed.

Immediately following that moment, social media exploded with a flood of mixed reactions. One X (Twitter) user angrily wrote: “That’s the most ridiculous decision I’ve ever seen. The ball clearly hit the hand inside the box, yet the referee dismissed it after checking VAR. Even Clattenburg disagrees!”

Meanwhile, another account argued that the decision was justified: “I don’t think it was a foul, his arm was pressed against his body, calling a penalty would be too harsh.”

Another fan expressed support for the referee: “The right call! That’s definitely not a handball. VAR worked well this time.”

One supporter summed up the sentiment of those backing the decision in a brief comment: “Reason prevailed.”

Nevertheless, many Liverpool fans remained upset, feeling their team was robbed of a clear penalty. One wrote: “At the very least, it should have been a free kick! The handball was obvious.” Another sarcastically commented: “So the handball rule has changed again? That was definitely a penalty.”

This controversial moment happened with the score at 0-0, meaning the referee’s decision could directly impact the match’s outcome. Commentator John Champion relayed the official VAR team’s view: “The ball struck Tchouameni’s left hand, which was close to his body and in a natural position, so no handball offense occurred.”

Still, this incident will be discussed for days to come, as Liverpool fans believe their side was denied a chance to open the scoring in a top-tier Champions League match.

In the second half, Liverpool took the lead in the 61st minute from a precise free kick by Szoboszlai, with Alexis Mac Allister rising high to head the ball into the center of the goal. In the end, Liverpool secured a 1-0 victory over the Spanish royal club at Anfield.

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