Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp offers indifferent response to VAR controversy against Union SG

A young Liverpool team faced a 2-1 loss to Union Saint Gilloise last night. One of the key highlights of the match was 23-year-old Algerian footballer, Mohamed Amoura’s successful strike.

Upon replaying his goal, a more thorough assessment seemed imperative. In a report by Liverpool Echo, Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp said that he believed that their opponent deserved the win and seemed disinterested about disputing VAR’s credibility.

The Liverpool manager shared his insight on the incident by saying,

“I think we definitely all saw the same game, so for us it was a deserved win for Union. Even though I heard now the first goal might have been offside but nobody can tell properly.”

He went on to add,

“We will see that, but who cares? They are well set up, they are top of the table, they played a stronger side, I mixed up the team completely, so I think the changes we made, the amount of changes, were too much for rhythm. We needed to grow into the game. I am really happy that happened in the second half more and more and that we gave it a game, a proper game in the end. Before that, they gave us possession, won the balls on counter-attack and it was really tricky, to be honest.”

The incident at Lotto Park is not the first time VAR has intervened in a cruel way in Liverpool games. Merely a month ago the Reds were denied a goal by VAR during their dramatic 3-2 loss against Toulouse. Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah struck out a late equalizer in the seventh minute of the added time in an attempt to settle the match in 3-3. However, the goal was ultimately ruled out.

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Klopp was seemingly outraged by the decision which could have been partially induced by a handball by Alexis Mac Allister in the same run of play. The German head coach was quoted by The National saying,

“I only saw the video back now and for me it’s not a handball – but how can I decide that?” 

This reaction is a complete 180 degrees from his optimistic approach to Liverpool’s experimental team’s loss against Union SG. He concluded his discourse, as recorded by Liverpool Echo, passively by saying,

“Saw good performances and as a team, it’s not a fair assessment to say top of the table and we come here and bring kids and blah blah blah, that’s really difficult. We gave it a big go and that’s okay for me, nobody got hurt, nobody is injured so we recover, go home, and go again.”

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Klopp’s refrainment from starting a row on VAR’s intervention in the Reds’ match (or the lack thereof) against Union SG could potentially serve as a testament to his fairness in assessing a game and managing his team. The German coach’s polar difference in the face of the Reds’ recent loss would help take the pressure off the young players and motivate them further to take the club forward.