Liverpool’s Champions League defeat to Galatasaray has been overshadowed by a storm of controversy after a late incident inside the box left fans and pundits questioning the role of VAR once again.

The flashpoint came in the dying moments when Galatasaray’s Wilfried Singo raised his boot dangerously high and appeared to catch Ibrahima Konaté inside the penalty area. Despite loud appeals from the Liverpool players, the referee dismissed the claims and VAR declined to intervene—sparking outrage both on and off the pitch.

A former Premier League referee, speaking after the match, expressed disbelief at the decision. “That’s as clear a penalty as you’ll ever see,” he argued. “If a defender lifts his boot that high and makes contact, it’s a foul every time. The fact that VAR stayed silent is beyond explanation and undermines the credibility of the competition.”

Fan Reaction

The decision immediately triggered anger among Liverpool supporters, many of whom took to social media to vent their frustration. Some accused UEFA of “robbing” the Reds on an important European night, while others claimed that VAR is “destroying football” with its inconsistency.

One supporter wrote: “If that incident had happened the other way around, the penalty would’ve been awarded without hesitation.”

A Growing Pattern

This is not the first time Liverpool have been on the wrong side of a VAR controversy this season. Earlier in the Premier League campaign, refereeing body PGMOL publicly admitted to key errors in decisions involving the Reds. That sense of déjà vu has now extended onto the European stage, reigniting the wider debate over the system’s reliability.

Pundits and ex-players also weighed in, suggesting that Liverpool were unfairly denied a chance to level the score, which could have dramatically changed the outcome of the tie.

What It Means for Liverpool

The 1-0 defeat leaves Arne Slot’s men under pressure in their Champions League group, with qualification still hanging in the balance. Although Slot refused to heavily criticize the officials after the match, he admitted that the moment was “hugely frustrating.”

Meanwhile, UEFA and FIFA now face fresh scrutiny, with louder calls than ever for reform to ensure greater consistency in VAR decisions across major tournaments.

The Bigger Question

The fallout from Istanbul has reopened one of football’s most divisive discussions: can VAR be trusted to deliver fairness at the highest level? For Liverpool fans, the events of last night provided a clear and painful answer—“not yet.”