​Arsenal not English champions: Klopp fumes over VAR call
Following their bitter World Cup exit in a penalty shootout, the decision to disallow Jonathan Tah’s goal sparked widespread debate, with Waldemar Anton ruled to have fouled Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill in the buildup. The Germany squad reacted with mounting frustration. “It’s not just a scandal, it’s a complete scandal. That’s not even remotely a foul,” Julian Nagelsmann said bluntly to ZDF. ZDF’s refereeing expert echoed the sentiment, noting: “We’ve seen very different situations at the World Cup before, and the goalkeeper gets up immediately. That’s normal contact, never ever a foul. I’m at a loss for words.” Patrick Ittrich, working for Magenta TV, criticized the VAR intervention: “For me, that’s not a clear and obvious error by the referee.” Former referee Manuel Gräfe joined the criticism, telling Bild, “It’s a joke,” and pointing to the extra-time incident involving Leon Goretzka, who was held in the penalty area. Gräfe argued that foul should have been penalized as well, just like the Tah incident, calling the situation “unacceptable at this level” and “a farce.”
Jürgen Klopp shared a similar view when asked about the incident after the final whistle on Magenta TV. “If that goal is illegal, Arsenal won’t be English champions. We win the game if the ball goes in,” he said, referencing Arsenal’s goals from corners last season. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in German here