JAMIE CARRAGHER was left fuming at Real Madrid’s late penalty that helped them beat Marseille on Tuesday night.
The former Liverpool defender labelled the decision to award Xabi Alonso‘s side a second spot kick of the match as one of the worst he’s ever seen.
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Kylian Mbappe converted from 12 yards in the 82nd minute to complete a dramatic comeback win at Santiago Bernabeu.
Carragher was less than happy with referee Irfan Peljto’s call to punish Facundo Medina for a handball inside the Marseille area.
He seethed on CBS afterwards: “You’re trying to hang on, you produce a brilliant tackle against one of the best players in the world and the ball bounces up and it hits your hand.
“I actually think that might be one of the worst ones I’ve ever seen. I’m not trying to be dramatic. It’s an amazing piece of defending.”
Medina was penalised after sliding in to stop Vinicius Jr from shooting at close range.
As he went to ground, the Brazilian winger checked back and the ball hit Medina’s arm as it trailed on the grass.
Carragher explained: “His arm is by his body. There’s nothing he can do and as soon as it hits him he’s trying to get his hands out.
“What is he supposed to do? Where is he supposed to go? His arm is coming down it isn’t outside [his body].
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“He hasn’t done a wild swing, it’s just next to his body exactly where it should be.”
Fellow CBS pundit Mike Grella, who is a former Columbus Crew and USMNT attacker, described the incident as a “a robbery.”
He continued: “It’s Real Madrid in the Champions League, it happens all the time.”
Carragher looked at the bigger picture, adding: “Listen, this is a group game and listen, who knows, but they’ve got eight games or another seven to rectify it and try and get through to the knockout stages.
“But can you imagine losing a Champions League final like that? Unbelieveable. It’s shocking.”
Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi was similarly incensed. He said: “It’s a shameful penalty.
“It’s not there. I would have said that too if it had been whistled for us. For me, it’s not a penalty, never.
“Not at the Bernabeu, nor at the Velodrome, nor at Real Sociedad, nowhere. And I have no ulterior motive, I don’t want to cause controversy. I’m just saying that there was no penalty. Period.”
De Zerbi had seen his side take the lead through Timothy Weah’s breakaway goal in an entertaining clash.
Mbappe levelled before the break with a less controversial penalty after Vinicius Jr had been fouled.
Madrid were reduced to 10-men when Dani with just under 20 minutes to go after Dani Carvajal was deemed to have headbutted Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
VAR felt Carvajal had shown enough intent to get a straight red card but De Zerbi disagreed on this one.
“In this kind of situation, head-to-head, I wouldn’t give a red card. It’s not violent. But it’s the rule. For Real, for us, for everyone.”
VAR also checked the Medina handball but did not recommend an on-field check.
