RIO FERDINAND voiced his frustration at Ibrahima Konate’s goal being ruled out during Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Inter.
The Liverpool defender headed home midway through the first half, but the goal was eventually chalked off following a lengthy VAR review.
Virgil van Dijk was judged to have headed the ball on to Hugo Ekitike’s arm before Konate poked the ball over the line.
A five-minute VAR check ensued, with referee Felix Zwayer sent over to the monitor to make the final decision.
Manchester United legend Ferdinand posted on X: “V harsh decision. Was a big and much needed moment for Konate!
“Ps why don’t the refs go to the monitor sooner to speed up play?”
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Another fan said: “I’m not a Liverpool fan but for that goal to be ruled out for handball is absolutely scandalous.”
A third added: “Even as a Chelsea fan, that Liverpool-Inter Milan handball VAR decision is one of the most disgusting things I’ve seen.”
In the Champions League, Uefa follow rules set by Ifab, while deeming “making a body unnaturally bigger” is a handball offence.
Handball should be given if a player “deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, for example moving the hand/arm towards the ball, or touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger.”
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A handball can also be given if: “A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation.
“By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalised.”
Since it was not deliberate, Ekitike’s handball could have therefore been given, but referee Zwayer ultimately made the final call.
But Liverpool were later the beneficiaries of a VAR call after Alessandro Bastoni was ruled to have pulled Florian Wirtz’s shirt in the box enough to warrant a penalty to the Reds.
Dominik Szoboszlai then stepped up to give them the lead in the 88th minute, which turned out to give them a much-needed 1-0 win.
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