Footage has emerged showing Virgil van Dijk shutting down a Paris Saint Germain official inside the Parc des Princes tunnel.
Van Dijk Claps Back at PSG Advisor After Controversial VAR Decision
Virgil van Dijk captained Liverpool on Wednesday night as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash.
Despite being dominated for much of the match, Liverpool managed to escape with the win thanks to an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Alisson Becker and a late 87th-minute strike from Harvey Elliott.
VAR Drama: Konaté’s Lucky Escape
A controversial moment unfolded in the first half when Ibrahima Konaté challenged Bradley Barcola as the PSG forward broke through on goal. The VAR team conducted a review, but ultimately decided that there was no clear and obvious error from the referee, allowing play to continue without any punishment for the Liverpool defender.
The decision infuriated PSG Football Advisor Luis Campos, who was caught on camera furiously reacting inside the Parc des Princes tunnel.
Van Dijk’s Cold Response to Campos
As Campos protested the decision, shouting:
“Red card or penalty!”
Van Dijk coolly responded:
“Come on bro, it’s not Ligue 1, bro. Hey, it’s not Ligue 1.”
Campos ignored Van Dijk’s remark and continued his complaints, insisting:
“It’s a red card or penalty!”
Liverpool’s Gritty Win Sets Up a Huge Second Leg
Despite PSG’s frustration, Liverpool now head into the second leg at Anfield with a crucial advantage. While Luis Enrique’s side will be determined to turn things around, Jurgen Klopp’s men will be confident of finishing the job in front of their home crowd.
Christina Unkel Believes Konaté Should Have Been Sent Off vs PSG
Former FIFA referee Christina Unkel has weighed in on the controversial Ibrahima Konaté-Bradley Barcola incident, arguing that the Liverpool defender should have been sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
Speaking on CBS Sports, Unkel disagreed with the match officials and VAR:
“I’m actually not going to agree with the referee or VAR in this play itself. I do think it should have been recommended down to a red card due to denial of a goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO).”
She explained that since the contact occurred outside the penalty area, the correct decision would have been a straight red card rather than a penalty:
“Did the attacker have the opportunity to control the ball? The answer here is yes. It meets all of the DOGSO considerations, so I would have wanted to see this as a penalty and then VAR, if not called on-field.”
Konaté Defends Himself
After the match, Konaté responded to the controversy in an interview with Canal+, insisting that he did nothing wrong:
“There was a VAR check. If there was a push, like you said, I would have been shown a red card. I’m telling you that there wasn’t a foul.”
The French defender admitted he used his arm but denied excessive force:
“It’s true that I am very strong, but I don’t apply power. I just put my arm. If I had put a lot more power into it, then we could talk about it, but it was soft from me.”
Liverpool Hold Advantage Despite PSG’s Frustration
With PSG officials furious over the decision, including Luis Campos’ heated reaction in the tunnel, the debate is likely to continue. However, Liverpool will head into the second leg at Anfield with a 1-0 lead, knowing they are just 90 minutes away from a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
