It was a controversial moment during the Champions League match. In the 25th minute, Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain was advancing towards the goal. Ibrahima Konaté, having been outmaneuvered, made contact with Barcola from behind. Referee Davide Massa did not call a foul, and VAR did not deem it a clear and obvious error, so neither a red card nor a penalty was awarded.
Paris Saint-Germain was left frustrated after losing the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie 1-0 at Parc des Princes last week. Sporting director Luís Campos reportedly protested to the referee at halftime, arguing for a red card or penalty due to Konaté’s challenge.
Konaté initially commented to Canal Plus post-match about the incident, stating, “There was a VAR check. If there was a push, as you said, I would have been shown a red card. I’m telling you that there wasn’t a foul. 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,” he said.
However, according to reports, Konaté has privately admitted to those close to him that he actually believed he deserved a red card for the challenge.