My dad made the argument that the ball hits his chest then hits the upper arm. If his arm is next to his body and not out wide it still likely hits the same spot. The ball makes contact with the upper shoulder area not the lower arm where it was extended out.
It’s a penalty by the current set up of the rules. I can in the same breath say it was soft and I had a hope that var would overturn it once I saw it hit his chest first. And I know it takes no part in the decision but no one was on the other end of that cross and Mane was just aiming to hit his arm. That is extremely subjective and shouldn’t be a part of the decision making process but it must be said. Also, I don’t want the flow of the game interrupted but I am regularly disappointed when the ref doesn’t go to the monitor to at least take another look. Thank you for attending my ted talk.
Isn’t that on the video ref though? Aren’t they supposed to tell the ref when he needs to take a look at something? For a clear and obvious error. I don’t see any way that’s a clear and obvious error
How did I find myself defending a Liverpool penalty call and referees at 11PM on Saturday night? What am I doing with my life
You know I watched the call again and the ball would definitely have cleared over Firmino but Salah was at the top of the box on the far side. My mistake.
I thought the penalty was the right decision, but just an extreme case of bad luck for Spurs given the moment. Pretty much the same thing with the Kimpembe handball in PSG United.
I agree with this. It was an extremely harsh decision. Don’t think it really fits with the intent of deliberately handling the ball.
I can't complain. Liverpool were professional. Spurs struggled mightily. Eriksen and Dele disappeared. It was a fun ride. Would have liked to win it because I doubt I see it again anytime soon. Penalty was the right call. Doesn't feel like the punishment fits the crime but those are the rules. Besides the whole, 90 minutes away from a possible european championship, Verts putting Salah in his pocket most of the match was my favorite part.
That too but less than 5 years ago winning Europa didn't even get you into the Champions League. Now not only does it get you in (which it should) but it gets you in pot 1.
It’s absurd that Real Madrid who’s won like 4 of the last 6 will be a pot 2 team. Talk about setting up a potential group of death.
If they’re all groups of death. Instead it ends up ruining some knockout ties. No way Lyon, Schalke, Porto or Roma should have been there over Napoli.
Has there ever been a Champions League where there hasn’t been a couple of “smaller” clubs in the knockout stage? Napoli missing out is hardly some big tragedy.
Yeah, its Champions League so there are no truly "easy" matches but whoever gets Madrid as their Pot 2 team is gonna have a bad time.
The group of deaths are almost always driven on the Pot 3 and 4 draws. For example, it's not the worst thing in the world to draw Madrid + Celtic and Dinamo Zagreb. But drawing Inter and Leipzig + any of the Pot 2 teams essentially makes for a group of death.
Why? Its the 2nd biggest club tournament in the world and you want to make the top clubs in the world interested in it. That's a good carrot to dangle
They already get into the champions league, thats a pretty damn big carrot. There is a misalignment of incentives when its better to get 3rd in your champions league ground and go play in a tournament of shitty also rans than 2nd and have to face a European giant in the UCL round of 16.
And most leagues are ultra competitive I don't think most seasons you have that luxury to tank in the standings. In Italy this season 3-6 were separated by 3 points.
I guess. I just don't think it's that big of a deal since, more often than not, the winner of Europa is going to be one of the bigger clubs any way. Putting them in pot 3 or 4 and guaranteeing a group of death would be a punishment to the others in the group imo.
If its a bigger club then their coefficient should be high enough to have them in pot 2. If their coefficient says they should be in pot 3 or 4 then that is where they should go.
You still have to win 5 rounds In order to get the auto bid after dropping down to Europa. I don’t see how that will ever be more lucrative than a round of 16 Champions League tie + the potential for more.
Plus you can still qualify through the league so it can make winning Europa redundant for that purpose. Europa will more negatively impact your league form due to the extra knockout round so why not try to finish top 4 (or whatever is required) and play in the UCL knockouts?