Former England representative, Gary Lineker, has expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the disallowed goal by Victor Osimhen during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg encounter between Galatasaray and Liverpool earlier this week.
Remember that the Turkish Super Lig heavyweights triumphed over the Reds 1-0, courtesy of Mario Lemina’s strike in Istanbul.
However, there was a controversial VAR decision concerning Osimhen’s goal during the match.
Osimhen believed he had increased Galatasaray’s advantage, seizing on a blunder from Liverpool defender, Ibrahima Konaté.
The Nigerian reacted swiftly to a deflected cross, guiding the ball past the goalkeeper.
The stadium erupted in celebration, convinced that the tie was slipping further from Liverpool’s control.
Nevertheless, their excitement was fleeting as VAR intervened, leading to the goal being disallowed.
The official determination was that Galatasaray winger Barış Alper Yılmaz, who was positioned in the build-up, was in an offside position and considered to have been actively interfering with play by blocking the view of Liverpool’s defensive line, causing the confusion that enabled Osimhen to score.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker did not hesitate in his critique of the procedure.
Lineker remarked, “I have viewed it 50 times, and it is ridiculous.
“There is no influence [from Yilmaz]. It is simply a dreadful, dreadful decision, and VAR merely allowed it.”
