Liverpool had an absolutely torrid time against PSG and it could have been a whole lot worse had Joe Gomez been really injured when Marco Verratti decided to try and decapitate the young defender. The Italian’s horror challenge was a red card every day of the week and twice on Sundays, yet the referee let him get away with just a booking, and even he was surprised.
THAT’S HOW CLOSE VERRATTI GOT TO THE BALL pic.twitter.com/igIzmXy78F
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) 28 November 2018
Looking back now that the game is done and dusted and Gomez has gotten away with bruising at worst, it’s okay for the Liverpool fans to have a little chuckle in wonder at how PSG managed to get through the game with the full supplement of 11 players on the pitch. If there is any justice about the game, Szymon Marciniak won’t be taking charge of another Champions League clash this season.
Next up for Liverpool, in the Champions League is a huge clash against Napoli at Anfield. The Reds face tough circumstances if they want to qualify and will need to either win 1-0 or by two or more goals if Napoli score on Merseyside. It certainly won’t be easy for Jurgen Klopp’s side, but if they have a referee who isn’t as inept as Marciniak was last night then they’ll have a good chance of qualification to the round of sixteen.
You can read The Reds’ thoughts on the horror tackle from Verratti here:
Shocker
— Ben Smart (@bennyxf1) November 28, 2018
Hopefully that's the end of champions league for that ref
— the 4th officialz (@the4thofficialz) November 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/OleFasterholt/status/1067912619774943232
https://twitter.com/theba301/status/1067915996835532800
https://twitter.com/DocEire/status/1067927412355276800
https://twitter.com/RichieGlover/status/1067919010988199936
https://twitter.com/A_guy_gone/status/1067915058167103489
Red all day long Ref was dodgy ?
— Paul Owens #LFC20 #YNWA6 (@Owensy68) November 28, 2018
The Kopites were fuming at the time that Verratti stayed on the pitch, and will hope they don’t suffer any more shockers like this in the future.







