In the Champions League round‑of‑16, Paris Saint-Germain eliminated Liverpool 2‑0 at the Parc des Princes. Midway through the second half, referee Maurizio Mariani pointed to the spot after Willian Pacho appeared to collide with Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, signalling a penalty for the French side. Post‑match, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp expressed frustration but accepted the referee’s authority.

VAR official Marco Di Bello consulted the pitch‑side monitor and concluded there was no foul by Pacho; the fall resulted from Mac Allister pulling his own leg into the defender. A review was ordered, and Mariani rescinded the penalty. Graphics mistakenly showed an empty box at the opposite end, confusing viewers but not affecting the decision. Social media mocked the empty‑box replay, while pundits praised officials for adhering to protocol.

Steve Nicol and Craig Burley later argued the overturn met the ‘clear and obvious’ threshold, noting Pacho merely stood his ground and made no ball challenge. Liverpool’s exit leaves them second in Group E, three points behind PSG, complicating quarter‑final hopes. The incident underscores VAR’s capacity to correct split‑second errors despite occasional broadcast hiccups.