Jamie Carragher speaks
Jamie Carragher speaks
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher admitted his former side were lucky to get their match-winning penalty at Girona on Tuesday.
Liverpool continued their perfect start in the Champions League after Mohamed Salah converted a spot kick when former Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek was adjudged to have fouled Luis Diaz in the box, handing the Reds a 1-0 win.
The penalty was only awarded after a VAR review saw referee Benoit Bastien take another look at the incident on the pitchside monitor. Salah then fired the ball past Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga to earn Liverpool their sixth consecutive European victory under Slot.
However, Carragher did not think Liverpool should have been awarded the penalty in the first place, branding the decision "very harsh". Speaking on CBS Sports' coverage of the Champions League, he said: "I don't think it's a penalty.
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"I think it's very harsh. We've spoken about decisions in this competition for the last couple of years now and the penalties I see get given in the Champions League, I'd be very upset if they were given against me.
"I couldn't see nothing in it initially. The boot's come off, but it doesn't really affect him in any way in terms of a foul, really. I don't even think it's harsh, I just don’t think it's a penalty. You see how disappointed Van De Beek is there and rightly so."
Arsenal legend and fellow CBS pundit Thierry Henry agreed with Carragher's comments, adding: "That wasn't a penalty. If Jamie says it wasn't a penalty, we don't even have to see it, (as a) Liverpool man. It really wasn't a penalty."
Donny van de Beek conceded a penalty after challenging Luis Diaz
Donny van de Beek conceded a penalty for this challenge on Luis Diaz
Girona boss Michel also admitted he has "never liked" penalties being given in similar circumstances. "When I saw him take his boot off, I already said that I was going to call the penalty," he said.
"He doesn't really touch him, but in football before, these situations weren't called. Now they are and this is the reality of the VAR.
"I have never liked these situations, but they decided it was a penalty and that's it. There's nothing else to do."
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