Cubarsi's Controversial Red

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0:30Welcome in to the latest edition of ESPN FC. I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Craig Burley and Stevie Nicker. We'll kick things off in Spain in the Champions League quarterfinal between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Barcelona would start the better of the two sides. Big chances for Marcus Rashford that he was unable to convert. Laminia Mal dancing past the Atleti players early on. But a big moment in the game would come four minutes before the end of the first half. Simeone brought down by Koubasi. The referee would initially give a yellow. However, he was sent to the monitor and it was declared it was the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity and he'd be given a straight red and from the resulting free kick, Julian Alvarez would make it 1-0.

1:08Barcelona rallied in the second half, more chances that they failed to convert. A big talking point actually would come in the 54th minute. Musso and Pubil, Pubil handling the ball when it looked like the goal kick had already been taken. The referee didn't go to the monitor, nothing was given. and Flick was furious after that, and it didn't help his mood when Serloff made it 2-0 to give Atleti a nice advantage going into the second leg in Madrid. For more on this, this will come in, shall we? Frank Le Boeuf is with us, as is Stuart Robson. Robbo, how did this happen? It happened because Barcelona didn't take their chances when they had them early on.

1:44Rashford, as you saw, just had those chances, and they didn't play quite as well as they normally do in an attacking sense in that first half. And Atleti, I thought, did OK. They tried to press the ball a little bit higher up the field. They just didn't drop in. They made it quite difficult for Barcelona. It was Barcelona with a better team for the first 20 minutes. But the game changed, obviously, completely in terms of the scoreline with the free kick and the sending off. But in the second half, Barcelona still dominated the play. They still created one or two good chances without them being clear-cut chances.

2:11But they were always vulnerable on the counter-attack. And Saul, as he's done so often against Barcelona, comes on as a sub, gets in the right place at the right time, as Craig just said, gets in between the centre-halves, gets in front of Martín and finishes it brilliantly. And for all their huffing and puffing, for all their decent play, Barcelona just couldn't find the breakthrough. They probably missed five or six chances without them being absolutely sitters. So, how did he go away? Sorry Rob, I thought you'd finished. Yeah, go on Craig. No, I'm going to say they love to give themselves a mountain to climb in first place.

2:41Well, we saw it of course in the Copa del Rey, 4-0 down in the first place. That was 4-0 but then they were taking them back to the camp now. Obviously, two nils, obviously. Much less damaging scoreline, but you're now having to go to Madrid. They missed Rafinha today, didn't they? Yeah, and look, some of those chances for Rashford were difficult. The first one wasn't. The first one he rushed and he scoffed. The one at the back post in the first half, the angle was against him. That one there, the touch was a bit heavy, but I thought, you know, once the ball's played from Laminya Mal, the goalkeepers came out quite early.

3:11So he has to go round them. then the angle is against them but yeah you're going to miss Rufina again I'll say the same thing as I said in the Copa del Rey where they almost came back I still fancy them, I do but Hansi Fleck said it in an interview we listened to just before we came on air he said they are dangerous up front and they can punish you and that's what happened in the first leg of the Copa del Rey and today they were punished by a great free kick from Julian Alvarez I think when Antoine Griezmann's standing back and letting somebody else take a free kick, then you know that they've got good quality.

3:47But yeah, I still fancy them to come back, but giving themselves a bit of a mountain to climb. Where do you stand with the red card, Stevie? It's a red card. You know, as a defender, when you get caught on the wrong side, it then becomes your responsibility not to make contact with your attacker. And we can talk about whether the ball was behind them, did he have control of it? But at the end of the day, regardless of where it is, He's not going to be able to control it if the defender bumps him. He basically runs into his back leg. And so, as I said, defensively you get caught on the wrong side.

4:23Your responsibility when you're behind is to not make contact in any shape, way or form. And he doesn't do that. He completely and utterly makes contact. And down he goes and I think the red card is the right call. Frank, that ball is only a yard. It's not spinning 10, 15 yards away from him. it's always going to be within a yard or two and Koundy's never getting round so I think that was maybe in the referee's mind when he gave the initial yellow but then I think when he looked at it in the monitor and he saw that the player was going to regain control of the ball within a reasonable area and Jules Koundy was never going to get round and cover then I thought it was a red as well Mr Leboeuf yes, we'll disagree with my colleagues in a way that I agree with the free kick and I agree that would be a yellow card.

5:13But that's the big point of the analysis of Stevie and the first sentences when he say, yeah, he's not in control. The ball is behind him. He's not in control. I think you needed a clear opportunity and a real chance to score a goal to give a red card. And he's not. Again, he's not in control of the ball. The ball is behind him. He missed the control. So even if he gets the ball, Even if Kubasi doesn't make any foul, he doesn't have a chance to score. So, therefore, for me, yellow card would have been enough. And I think it would have been a different story tonight, 11 against 11. Robert? Well, when I first saw it, I thought it's got to be a red card.

5:56He's given a foul. He's running on a goal. The defender's behind him. But when I saw the replay and the back leg goes up from Simeone, I'm thinking, does he initiate the contact? So I'd have probably gone to the VAR and gone the other way. I'd have just sent him off the first view. And then seeing the VAR, I would have probably given a yellow card and changed it round. Because I think that the initial contact was made almost by Simiari putting his leg back in. It's quite a hard thing to do that, Rob. When you're running that way. You're running that way and somehow you launch your leg that way.

6:30That's going against physics, I believe, isn't it? But, you know, in the end, Steve is absolutely right in terms of if you get on the wrong side, if you don't see the run, there's the big fault. And you're always going to have problems if you're chasing back and it only needs a little bit of contact or something like that to happen and you're in trouble. How would you rate Laminya Marle tonight? Obviously, we talked a lot about Alisa yesterday and we talk about Laminya Marle in the same conversation. He did a lot of things right, but there just didn't seem to be that final ball, Robbo. well he started off he went past uh his marker ruggieri a couple of times and then he played the worst part you'll ever see if he didn't see the athletic player and that started him off but when they went a goal down and when they were playing with 10 men he was the player he wanted the ball to go to every time he got the ball you thought well he might go past him he's gone past the first one he's gone past the second one can he get his shot away but when you're outnumbered they always got blocks in they just stopped that final cross that final shot so he did everything he possibly could to get Barcelona back in the game, but it wasn't quite his night.

7:29He didn't quite have the end product. Some of his general play, as you saw in those highlight packages, was absolutely magnificent. I think that was the reason that he was overdoing it. Because in quick succession, those two horrendous passes after looking so great, I think that is the reason he was trying to make up for that. He had that in his mind, and so he overdoes it. So instead of going by two and then maybe three and then releasing the pass, because clearly, if you've got three men around you, there has to be a gap. He just didn't quite get his head up and then that's why he overdid it.

8:00But I think it was all to do with those first two early doors where you're like, really? I've never seen Hansi Flick so angry though. Well, this was the incident. He brought it up here because they asked him about the red card and he said it could be a red, maybe a red, maybe not. On the Kuba scene. And then he brought up the goal kick incident and was like, if you have VAR, then this is surely where you have to use it. Now, Atleti will argue, obviously, the goalkeeper is just passing it to his player. Yeah, but that's starting to play. I mean, where do you... This is such a grey area. But should it be?

8:36If the ball is still... Because you can't play a moving ball, certainly, when you're taking a free kick or anything like that. If that ball is still and the goalkeeper plays it, it has to be in play. But we saw this last year with Arsenal, Bayern Munich. Was it last year or the year before? I can't remember and it was so casual from the goalkeeper but I think that ball's back in place so technically don't you think they can take the grey area away you know before they changed it a goal kick was taken on either side it was on the corner the corner the corner there that takes away all the grey area and then all of a sudden you can take it anywhere it seems like anywhere along the whole line so then now there's a grey area so now it becomes a decision the referee makes well, did he start or did he not?

9:23So you can change the rule back and say, right, a goal kick is taken for either that corner or right on that corner. And then there's no issue. I think it's even easier than that, Stevie. Sorry, Frank. I think it's even easier than that. I think you make a law in the game that says the first initiation of contact of the ball in the six-yard box is the ball back in play. And that's it. You just need to change the way the law is written and say the first person to play a non-moving ball in the six-yard box deems the ball in play. And that there then would have been a penalty kick as soon as he puts his hand on it.

9:59And Hansi Fleck also said a sending off. I'm with Stevie that you had to kick from the corner of the six-yard box, but the players, the partners, had to be out of the 18-yard box as well. It's where the grey area started. You can be anywhere now. and clearly we played football. We know that the goalkeeper gave the ball and engaged the action. So that was clearly, for me, a handball. It's kind of Robbo Innocent until you've proven guilty, though, isn't it? It is. The referee turned a blind eye. The crowd were going mad. Hansi Flick was going mad. But it's a dangerous thing to do. I mean, it was actually, I think Tyrone Mings did it for Aston Villa against Club Brugge in a Europa League game last year as well, and that caused the problem.

10:47And there was a big argument about that. But they must have realised that the ball had been taken. All they're trying to do there is waste time, but it's a massive gamble to take, because if the ref decided that was in play, suddenly it's a penalty. How do you decide as a ref that the ball's not in play? Yeah. That's like having a free kick somewhere outside the penalty box, and you go up to it, the ball's not moving, and you tap it five yards to your teammate and it gets intercepted, you say, well, that ball wasn't in play. The ball has to be in play as soon as the goalkeeper plays it from a non-moving ball, that is in play.

11:26And it's not difficult to rewrite that rule. If you want to have this rule where the goalkeeper wants to pass it to the centre-backs and the forwards are outside the box, but then they can initiate it once that touch is taken, if people want to do that to make the game as open and as entertaining as possible, and I believe that's why they did it. They have to write the laws of the game in a manner which allows the referee to make a concrete decision here. Not one that leaves everybody scratching their head. Was it in? Was it not? Was the game restarted? So I can understand why Hansi Flick was, and we saw his post-match interview, he was pretty furious.

12:02Right then, Robbo, percentage chance? For Barcelona, I would say at the moment, it's only 35 % because obviously they're 2-0 down they've got to go to Atleti where they lost 4-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey you'd think that Atleti would only need to score one goal and they do know how to break Barcelona down by timing their runs and when Sourlock comes on he's a threat so they're going to have to play brilliantly but they're going to also have to defend for their lives and not give goals away so you can only see 35 % for Barcelona at the moment the bookies have got Atleti it's one of your favourites Q.

12:38Barcai out as well, don't forget. He's got a suspension. Yes. I mean, that back line anyway, certainly that centre-half partnership of Q. Barcai and Gerard Martin just doesn't fill me. I mean, there's two experienced full-backs in Koundé and Kinsella, but is it Gerard Martin and Eric Garcia? Does he step back in there or does Ronaldo Ruho step back in there, who's got the pace but just doesn't play the high line very well, doesn't play the squeezing of the game very well? So you're going higher than 65-30. No, I'm kind of about there. I'm kind of about 60-40. But the way that Atletico Madrid have attacked this Barcelona defence in the last two or three games with Alvarez and Griezmann, who is picking out some great passes, you could see Barca having to score four or five to get through.

13:30So I'm going to go. I'm actually going to go for Atleti. I think this is tighter. Tighter. Yeah? Yeah, I think this is like 55-45. Because this is not the Atletico Madrid of old. And this Atletico Madrid side, in my opinion, when they get in this sort of position, I think they've shown previously, when they're in this position, they get stuck in between. And basically, out-and-out defending is not their game either. Yes, they're way better than Barcelona. Because Barcelona, you're talking about the combinations. There's not a great one. No. There isn't. and you can see Barcelona scoring two or three.

14:07It just depends how the Barcelona defend. You can see Atleti scoring. I can see Atletico balling it.

14:17Do you know what? I'm going to go with Barcelona. You're going to give them 51-49? Yeah, I'm going to. I thought you were 55-45 against. I was. A minute and a half ago. I was. I still fancy Barcelona. I don't trust Atletico Madrid. Frankie?

14:37I'm going to follow Stevie because even against 10 against 11 second half I saw Barcelona dominating and being capable of scoring goals and being better than Atletico so I think away from them yeah it's going to be hard but maybe they will have more spaces I don't know how they're going to play Atletico is going to play maybe Simone will park the bus I don't know but I really think that Barcelona can score at least three goals and even if Atletico score one you go on extra time and you never know what can happen so I'm going to follow my my the score that I love the most Steve Nichols there we go that's a low bar let's be honest no no you're the second one you're the second one you're the second one get stuffed just a reminder more talk on this game on extra time that is available over on our YouTube channel

15:26and of course before those second legs there's a little matter of La Liga as well Barcelona taking on Espanyol in the Castellan derby. That's Saturday, midday on ESPN+. And then later, it's Sevilla against Atletico Madrid. And Real Madrid against Girona on Friday, 3 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+. A SoFi personal loan is here to help you achieve something once thought impossible, overcoming high-interest credit card debt. Walk the tightrope of your finances with one low fixed-rate monthly payment, no fees required, and as soon as the same-day funding. That's right. Pull off your own debt-defying stunt with SoFi Personal Loan.

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16:55That's RK Zero Proof, a pioneer in the alcohol-free spirits category. RK delivers bold flavor and a real warm and sensation with zero alcohol, zero sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. Perfect for nights out, social gatherings, or any time you want the experience of a drink without sacrificing tomorrow. Check it out at RKBeverages.com That's A-R-K-A-Y Beverages.com. RK. All the flavor, none of the alcohol. PSG will beat Liverpool by two goals. Sunil Dwey opening the scoring in the 11th minute deflected effort. Giving the Hoci advantage, lovely individual goal from Kovac Skellia would make it 2-0.

17:29It could have been a lot more for PSG. In fact, they rewarded a penalty that was controversially overturned by VAR. They had another penalty when the referee wasn't even sent to the monitor. Lots of opportunities for the French, none for Liverpool. They'll take 2-0 going back to Anfield next week. Frank and Robbo still with us, Stevie? Goodness. You take 2-0. Oh, get on the flight and get home before they changed their mind. Before VAR comes back and says, by the way, we made a mistake. Yeah, you can't complain. Should have been five, could have been six. They got outplayed. I heard the commentators talking about, oh, this could be another Anfield night.

18:10I think that's a bit of a stretch. No complaints. Scott tried something different tactically, didn't he? I was glad that he did. I was glad he did. We said in the show the other night that you can't keep doing the same thing and keep being so bad. You have to change something. And he did. Now, unfortunately for him and Liverpool, they were playing against a side who, in terms of the movement of the front players, is absolutely scary. You know, we saw with the amount of chances. And I can sit here and go, well, he shouldn't have been way too wide. But at the end of the day, they'll tear apart any defence.

18:45Any defence when they're in that sort of mood. Luckily for Liverpool, they weren't in the mood to take those chances. and that's why Liverpool are, I guess you could somewhat say they're still in the game. But if you're realistic, we're not. I mean, changing it to 3-5-2 basically, with Verts floating around, basically meant he didn't have to tell Mo Salah he was dropped because he's been playing badly. I'm dropping you because I'm not playing with any wide players. And so it kept him a little bit more solid early on, but if Dembele had his shooting boots, was it Dewey the challenge for the penalty?

19:20Dewey with the first chance when he hit it straight at Mamadashvili and then the one where Kanati gets round to make the challenge the ball gets stuck under his feet a little bit if he gets a decent touch in that so it could have been easily and I mean easily at five or six I don't see any redemption for Liverpool here at Anfield because they're going to outplay them again and Vettinia I mean they're all really tidy on the ball and the movement's great but Vettinia the little guy in the midfield just dictating and controlling, getting the ball up, starting moves, switching play, you know, everything about his game.

19:57And he's only a little guy in there, but he just drives this whole PSG team forward. And I don't remember him, and I'm sure he did, but I don't remember him losing the ball in this game. He was absolutely brilliant. Yeah, PSG far from their best, but they absolutely bossed this game as we expected, Frank.

20:17Yes, exactly. Even if I'm a little bit frustrated, and some players, PSG players after the game say they were. They were frustrated, not satisfied with the result because they thought, and everybody thinks the same, they thought they should have scored more goals and finished the game. Well, thanks to the ref as well, like yesterday with Olize, didn't give a penalty at the end of the game. But whatever. but just for Craig just something that I was told, Vitinha touched 145 balls and gave passes too and didn't lose one ball. That's insane and when you see Neves also capable of doing what he did when Varskala scored the goal because the assists come from him and so many others, Mendes on the left side and Hakimi on the right side, it's hard to not believe that Liverpool can survive even if they have the crazy infield atmosphere.

21:09It's going to be scary for Mbiby for 5-10 minutes for Paris Saint-Germain, but really I don't see how they can overturn anything and especially scoring more than 2 or 3 goals to Paris Saint-Germain. Robert? Well, the problem that Liverpool had by playing with the back 3 at times, PSG didn't have a centre-forward because Dembele was going here, there and everywhere, so they were outnumbered elsewhere on the field and that's why Vitinha could find space and he could dictate the play. and then when players made runs from midfield or made runs from wide, the Liverpool players, as we've seen, whether they're playing with a back three, a back four, they don't pass people on, they don't see danger, they don't recover quickly enough.

21:46Even the goal where Carrizvalia scores, I was watching Van Dijk, who gave up on it on the edge of the penalty box. If he'd have continued his run, he might have got a tackle in on Carrizvalia, but he didn't do so and that's been happening all season. It's not going to change now, whether they play with a back three or a back four, in the end, PSG were far too good for them. It's true what we said, we were talking about this yesterday, saying for Anneli Slott, and somewhat it's worked out this way, that he walks out relatively unscathed, because we were talking yesterday saying, this could be a mess, and where does he recover from a mess?

22:20if this is 5 or 6, which it should have been it should have been 5 or 6, how does he deal with the press, how does he deal with the supporters how does he go into the second leg if he even gets to the second leg and that's still going to be a conversation down the line after the PSG second leg takes place but I think had he gone into it with the scoreline it should have been tonight, I think he'd have been maybe getting a phone call from his board so a little bit unscathed but again after the second leg it could be curtains for him What were the French broadcasters saying? Well, you know, I wanted to talk about that.

22:55You know, many people and pandits in France, you know, and myself, we found that it was the hardest task for Paris Saint-Germain against Chelsea on the first leg. And have you seen what happened on the second leg? It's been a shocker for the Blues fans. And imagine, it can happen the same. That was a bad day for Paris Saint-Germain forward line in terms of scoring goals. That's not what they are capable of doing. Dembélé didn't have a good game. It missed too many chances. So imagine if they are on a good day at Anfield. Yeah, that can be hard for the Reds. What's UEFA standards on penalties here?

23:36I'm not talking about the Canati one so much. You have to push in the bank. Basically, that's where I'm going to. What's their high bar that a player yesterday in Michael Alise was clearly barged in the back in front of goal? Nothing. The referee not even told to go and have a look in the monitor for himself. No. And now today, Mendy about to cross the ball or shoot is pushed. It's a one-handed shove. There you go. What's the criteria? They told him not. They told him not to go. That's a scary thing. What criteria has to be met for you to get a penalty kick from a push in the box? Because this is two games and we're in the quarterfinals here.

24:26We're in two games that we all sat here and went, holy smokes, what's going on? You're talking about a decision that you can't possibly sit and fathom out how a referee can watch that and not give a penalty. We can sit and say where the Canati won. Well, there's not enough contact. there's not enough but on these shoves if you can figure out what he's thinking then good luck because any normal former player and certainly official if you cannot see that you're in the wrong job they'll say it's not enough but the counter argument to that would be how can it not be enough when a player's about to strike a ball and you shove him off balance and therefore he makes a mess of the pass or the cross or the shot.