Liverpool handed fresh referee penalty verdict as Real Madrid drama takes new twist

Liverpool look to have put their recent poor form behind them after beating Real Madrid - but there was controversy during the game at Anfield

Alexis Mac Allister's second-half header helped continue Liverpool's revival against Spanish giants Real Madrid on Tuesday night. The Reds made it back-to-back wins against the La Liga side after beating Aston Villa in the Premier League a couple of days earlier.

However, Liverpool's win was not without controversy, as they saw a penalty overturned in the first-half. Dominik Szoboszlai's shot was blocked by Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni.

And after appeals for a penalty, referee Istvan Kovacs opted to award a free-kick on the edge of the box.

A VAR check then took place, before Kovacs headed over to the pitch-side monitor, with most inside the ground and watching at home believing the review was to check whether the handball happened inside or outside of the box.

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However, following the review, the referee overturned his decision to give handball and decided to restart the game with a drop ball.

And former Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief Keith Hackett believes that not only were Liverpool unlucky not to be awarded a penalty, but he was surprised by the call to restart the game with a drop ball.

He told Football Insider: "Wow. The handling offence was on the line of the penalty area, and VAR intervened then to suggest that the free-kick should be upgraded to a penalty.

"The referee on review decided that it was not handball and, therefore, not a penalty kick. So, he restarted the game with a dropped ball.

"I believe Liverpool are unlucky not to be awarded a penalty. The defender's actions are to challenge the Liverpool forward in an effort to block the ball and succeed. The ball does strike the arm of the defender."

Reacting to the decision live, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg said: "Normally, the VAR would just tell him over the headset that it's a penalty kick - as it's factual - so it's interesting that he's going to have a second opinion.

"Because the referee has given a handball, and I think it is a handball because he's made his body bigger, so I agree with his initial decision of handball, but once it is handball, he then needs to decide if it’s in the area.

"What he's now saying is that it isn't handball - as he doesn't believe the defender made his body bigger - because you can clearly see the ball touching the hand.

"That is why VAR recommended the review, seeing that the decision was wrong to give the handball. I disagree, I think it’s a handball."

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