Liverpool Boss Arne Slot Criticizes VAR Decision: 'Countless Calls Have Gone Against Us'

Arne Slot expressed no surprise that a penalty awarded to Liverpool against Paris Saint-Germain was overturned, stating that his team has been on the receiving end of numerous unfavorable decisions throughout the season. The Reds were eliminated from the Champions League after suffering a 2-0 quarter-final defeat to PSG at Anfield, resulting in a 4-0 aggregate loss. Despite a spirited performance, Liverpool's hopes were dashed when Ousmane Dembele scored twice late in the game. Earlier, Alexis Mac Allister thought he had won a penalty, but it was revoked by the referee after a VAR review. Commentator Tim Sherwood described the incident as 'soft' but believed it was a penalty. Slot, however, felt that the VAR overturning the decision was consistent with the trend of unfavorable calls his team has faced this season. "It's straightforward: if the referee doesn't award a penalty, VAR won't overturn it. I've seen many soft penalties given, and people argue that VAR can't intervene due to contact. That's what we're seeing," Slot explained. Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate shared his perspective, saying, "For me, it was a clear penalty. I was behind the referee, and if we had scored from it, the outcome would have been completely different." The controversy surrounding the penalty decision has sparked debate, with some arguing that PSG should have been awarded at least one spot kick in the first leg. VAR overturned the referee's decision to penalize Konate for a foul on Warren Zaire-Emery and opted not to punish him for a push on Nuno Mendes. When asked about the overturned penalty, Slot replied, "I'm not surprised, given the number of times we've been on the wrong end of decisions this season." He also referenced a comment made by a Manchester City player, saying, "If they can say they've been unlucky with referees, I'd like to remind them of the decisions that went against us in our matches against them. What does that say about us?" Liverpool's underwhelming performance has put pressure on Slot to keep his job, particularly after failing to build on their Premier League-winning season last year despite signing notable players like Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Slot acknowledged the challenges his team faces, saying, "The club is in a transition phase, having sold 8-10 players to generate funds for new signings. We have to sell to buy, and we're losing key players on free transfers, like Mo Salah and Andy Robertson." Despite the difficulties, Slot remains optimistic about the team's future, stating, "The club has shown that this model can work, and I believe the future looks bright, especially if we can sign quality players to replace those leaving this summer."