Arne Slot expressed dissatisfaction with a key video assistant referee intervention following Liverpool’s Champions League elimination by Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield. Liverpool lost 2-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate, ending their campaign at the quarter-final stage.

Entering the second leg 2-0 down, Liverpool applied sustained pressure and played with high intensity, disrupting PSG for extended periods. Despite this, they conceded twice and failed to score, leaving the aggregate margin unchanged in PSG’s favour.

The main point of contention occurred in the first half when Alexis Mac Allister advanced into the penalty area and went to ground after contact with Willian Pacho. The on-field referee awarded a penalty, prompting an immediate positive reaction from the home crowd. After a VAR review at the pitchside monitor, the referee rescinded the decision, concluding that the contact did not meet the threshold for a foul.

Slot argued that this incident was consistent with what he perceives as a pattern of unfavourable decisions. He stated that if the referee had initially declined to award the penalty, VAR would not have intervened to overturn that call, and he compared the situation to other “soft” penalties he believes have been allowed to stand elsewhere when minimal contact was present.

Defender Ibrahima Konaté supported Slot’s interpretation, describing the incident as a clear penalty from his vantage point behind the referee. He suggested that a successful spot-kick at that stage could have significantly altered the match dynamics and Liverpool’s prospects of a comeback.

In his post-match comments, Slot also referenced recent public complaints from Manchester City players about refereeing decisions. He implied that, relative to those claims, Liverpool have experienced at least as many adverse calls, using this comparison to reinforce his view that officiating has been a material factor in their season.

The dispute over the VAR decision occurs against a broader backdrop of underperformance relative to expectations. Liverpool, who won the league under Slot the previous season, have not replicated that level despite investing in players such as Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Their position in the Premier League remains uncertain, with a top-five finish not yet secured, increasing external scrutiny of Slot’s role and methods.

Slot framed the current situation within the club’s financial and squad-building strategy. He highlighted a “sell to buy” model and the impending free-transfer departures of key players including Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson as structural challenges. According to Slot, the club’s historical record suggests that this model can still deliver competitive squads, and he indicated that the upcoming transfer window will be critical in reshaping the team after those exits.