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✅ Here’s what you’ll learn:
Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai attempted a shot on goal in the 30th minute, but it was blocked by Real Madrid’s Aurelien Chouamini.
Referee Istvan Kovacs awarded a free kick against the Real Madrid player for handball, an offense that appeared to be very close to being inside the penalty area.
This was verified by VAR, Bastian Danckert, and as the referee ran to the pitch screen, Liverpool fans inside Anfield cheered, anticipating that a penalty was about to be awarded.
Except that’s not what was happening.
The actual decision, the position where the handball occurred, will only be made by VAR, not the referee.
The referee is sent to the screen only to judge a subjective decision, in this case a handball. Therefore, by going to the screen, the referee would have overturned his decision to award the handball.
But how did we go from a free kick for Liverpool to resuming play by dropping a ball to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois?
Because the handball actually occurred inside the penalty area, it is a penalty kick. The penalty kick is reviewable by VAR.
If it had been confirmed that the handball was outside the penalty area, the free kick would have been awarded regardless of whether it was correct or incorrect.
It may be a surprise that it was overturned in a UEFA competition, but it was the right result. Kovacs likely felt Tshwamini’s arm was wide of the target, but when the ball hit the Real Madrid player’s hand, he brought it very close to his body, without creating any horizontal barrier.
As it is a disallowed penalty, play is restarted with the goalkeeper down – effectively meaning Liverpool have to give up attacking possession.
The Liverpool fans’ cheers turned into gasps.
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