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UEFA overturns penalty decision in Champions League semi-final after VAR review

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Key Points
  • UEFA overturned a penalty awarded to PSG against Liverpool after VAR review
  • Referee Jose Maria Sanchez reversed his decision after footage showed Konate secured the ball
  • PSG were trailing 2-0 at the time and pundits had mixed reactions to the incident

The penalty was awarded after Ibrahima Konate was sanctioned for fouling Warren Zaire-Emery in the Liverpool box, with referee Jose Maria Sanchez initially awarding the penalty and giving Konate a yellow card. VAR intervened and prompted Sanchez to review the decision, with footage showing Konate secured possession of the ball, leading Sanchez to overturn the penalty decision. Sanchez withdrew Konate's yellow card and awarded a free-kick to Liverpool, and UEFA explained on their live Champions League blog that the penalty was overturned because Konate challenged the ball fairly without committing a foul.

Paris Saint-Germain were trailing 2-0 at the time of the incident, with goals from Desire Doue and Kvicha Kvaratshkelia, and pundits on TNT Sports had differing views on whether the penalty was correctly awarded initially. According to Daily Express - Sport, Ally McCoist described the challenge as brilliant, while Paul Robinson noted Konate got a piece of the ball but felt he made contact first, and Stephen Warnock expressed uncertainty about whether the contact was enough for a penalty. The final score of the match and whether the overturned decision significantly impacted the outcome remain unknown, as do reactions from players or managers and broader context of the tie.

Decision overturned: no penalty. Penalty cancelled - no foul. Liverpool player, No 5, challenged the ball in a fair manner without committing a foul on the opponent.

UEFA, Football governing body

I thought it looked a brilliant challenge. It looked as though he brought his leg round. He comes from behind. I think he probably knocks him first. He just knocks him.

Ally McCoist, Pundit on TNT Sports

Ibrahima Konate has got on the wrong side and he gets caught not being goal-side. Konate comes around the side and he does get a piece of the ball, but I feel he gets Warren Zaire-Emery first.

Paul Robinson, Pundit on TNT Sports

I am still not sure if that's a penalty or not. I want to see that challenge again, from behind - that's the angle. Konate makes contact with Zaire-Emery first - he brushes his thigh before he gets the ball, but I am not sure it is enough to bring him down.

Stephen Warnock, Pundit on TNT Sports
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