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Konate fumes over Liverpool's rejected penalty in PSG defeat / Photo: © AFP
Konate fumes over Liverpool's rejected penalty in PSG defeat
Ibrahima Konate claimed that the decision to deny Liverpool a penalty in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain was the defining moment in their Champions League exit.
Arne Slot's side were awarded a penalty in the second-half of the quarter-final second-leg at Anfield when Alexis Mac Allister tumbled under pressure from Willian Pacho.
With the score on the night level at 0-0 and PSG leading 2-0 on aggregate, Konate believed that a spot-kick would have turned the tide in Liverpool's favour.
But VAR intervened to instruct referee Maurizio Mariani to reverse his original decision.
Liverpool were unable to recover from that setback and Ousmane Dembele's double fired holders PSG back into the semi-finals.
"Last season we had a penalty like that. For me it was a clear penalty and was just behind the referee but he did not blow the whistle and we have to deal with that," Konate said after the 4-0 aggregate defeat.
"If we got the penalty and score it would be completely different."
It was the second successive season that Liverpool were eliminated from the Champions League by PSG.
Konate said that Luis Enrique's side were even stronger than last season, but still insisted that Liverpool should have won the second leg.
"We created many chances and I think we were the better team. It was a little bit unfair, it was like season. We had many chances but could not score and they had one or two chances and scored," he said.
"Many things happened and we don't have to forget that. The game today meant a lot of things because against PSG, who are a bit better than last season, to make a performance like that, we have to build from that and realise how good we can be."
Sitting in fifth place in the Premier League, with the top five qualifying for the Champions League, Konate urged Liverpool to focus on salvaging a dismal season by securing a return to Europe's elite club competition.
"It is (the) minimum standard for Liverpool to play Champions League. We have six games left and we have to give all in those six games," he said.
Liverpool are likely to finish the season with Hugo Ekitike on the sidelines after the striker was injured in the first-half.
"I think it is bad. I don't know, I have heard many things," Konate said.
"I have no word to talk about that because with the World Cup coming it is very, very hard for him and I send him my prayers."
M. Taylor--BTZ
