Liverpool fans were left stunned during the first half of their Champions League clash with RB Leipzig as Alexis Mac Allister was strangely booked for being fouled.
The Reds came into the clash looking to keep their 100 per cent start to their European campaign going after securing wins over AC Milan and Bologna during the first two matchdays of the new Champions League format.
Liverpool have made a perfect start to their Champions League campaign. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Leipzig were yet to win a game in Europe this season but were expected to give the Premier League club a tough test as Marco Rose’s men have made a very bright start to their domestic campaign as they currently sit second in the Bundesliga.
Sandro Scharer, the Switzerland referee in charge of the clash, set his stall out very early by booking Castello Lukeba after just eight minutes.
However, Liverpool fans were left stunned four minutes later, as the Swiss official booked Mac Allister for diving after the Argentina star was taken out in the middle of the park. The decision was a baffling one and it left one of the Reds’ key men playing over 75 minutes on thin ice.
? – MAC ALLISTER IS BOOKED FOR DIVING!?#RBLLIV #UCL pic.twitter.com/QoRrbjtXJ1
— TRS Footy (@Trsfooty) October 23, 2024

 
The importance of Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool
Mac Allister has been a key player since joining Liverpool last summer and that has continued during the current campaign under Arne Slot.
The Argentina star has featured 12 times for the Merseyside club this season and has consistently been at the heart of the Dutch coach’s team alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai.
The World Cup winner is a man Slot would not have wanted on a booking early on and the 46-year-old would not have been happy watching the footage back as it was a clear error from the referee, however, that would have been quickly forgotten once Darwin Nunez gave his team the lead heading into the break.