In a heated confrontation at the Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) soccer adviser, Luis Campos, vocally expressed his displeasure towards Italian referee Davide Massa during PSG’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League. Campos was particularly frustrated by Massa’s decision not to award PSG a penalty after reviewing an incident involving Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté. Konaté was alleged to have pushed PSG forward Bradley Barcola in the back during the 25th minute, but, following a video-assisted check, no foul was adjudicated and play continued.
Broadcast footage captured by Canal Plus depicted Campos venting his anger as he followed Massa down the tunnel at halftime, vociferously criticizing the decision. Campos was heard emphatically yelling, “It’s a red card or penalty in every part of the world,” which he reiterated emphatically.
This is not the first time Campos has openly contested refereeing decisions. Two years ago, he was seen actively protesting on the sidelines during a French league match against Lille due to dissatisfaction with the refereeing.
Despite the controversy, not all within the PSG camp shared Campos’s sentiments. Midfielder Vitinha, when questioned about the decision, appeared more reserved, admitting his distant view of the incident. “It’s difficult to tell, I was far away, so I couldn’t see it,” he remarked. Vitinha added, “We’re not going to hide behind that.”
From Liverpool’s perspective, head coach Arne Slot complimented Massa’s officiating amidst the intense atmosphere generated by the home fans. Slot stated, “It’s not easy if you are a referee in a game like this when the fans are so there for the home team. I don’t feel he was in favor of us or in favor of them, I think he was a top referee in a game like this.”
PSG’s coach, Luis Enrique, opted for a more diplomatic stance, expressing reluctance to critique officiating by saying, “I don’t really like to speak about refereeing.” The match ended without PSG finding an equalizer, leaving them with much to ponder moving forward in the Champions League campaign.
