[lfc-news] Baros claims a penalty as Sky attempt to settle Garcia goal debate - Post

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Liverpool Daily Post, 5 May 2005
Baros claims a penalty as Sky attempt to settle Garcia goal debate
By Paul Walker, Daily Post

LIVERPOOL striker Milan Baros believes he should have been awarded a
penalty on Tuesday if Luis Garcia had not scored the controversial
Champions League semi-final winner against Chelsea - which Sky Sports
claim should not have stood.

Baros, the 23-year-old Czech Republic striker, clipped the ball over
compatriot Petr Cech and appeared to be brought down before Garcia poked
the ball towards goal.

Television replays failed to show if the ball crossed the line before it
was cleared, although Baros believes he should have been awarded a
spot-kick for being fouled by Chelsea's goalkeeper.

He said: "At least it should have been a penalty. He flew at me, I think
he even did not hit the ball. But it is not important now."

Chelsea had beaten Liverpool three times in domestic competition already
this season and Baros - after the goalless draw in the semi-final first
leg - was determined to record his side's first win of the campaign
against Jose Mourinho's side.

He added: "We believed that we might beat Chelsea though we did not win
any out of four preceding matches.

"But it had to come once, we knew the chance with the support of our
fans is very big. The tactics were clear, to fly at them and score an
early goal."

The striker added: "It is the best competition in the world and we are
in its final."

Baros believes the comeback against Olympiakos was the turning point of
the season, adding: "The breaking point was the second half against
Olympiakos. Then we turned the score to our favour and since that we
have been doing well in the Champions League.

"Now we have to forget about Chelsea. We wish to secure the Champions
League qualification in the Premiership."

Sky Sports believe they have proved conclusively that the ball did not
cross the line for Liverpool's winning goal. The channel has used
digital technology to calculate that William Gallas did hook Garcia's
shot away before the whole of the ball crossed the line.

Defeated Chelsea goalkeeper Cech is not convinced the goal should have
stood, and believes the position of the assistant referee made it
impossible to tell whether a goal should have been awarded.

"The linesman was standing in such a position that he simply could not
see the ball as Gallas blocked it with his body," said Cech.

"I was surprised the referees decided the goal was scored, when they
could not see it."

Chelsea could not get the vital away goal needed to reach the final in
Istanbul later this month, although Cech did not want to dwell on
Liverpool's controversial winner.

"There is nothing to add to this. No protest will return us back to the
competition," he added..

Cech believes Garcia's goal proves technology should be introduced for
key decisions, adding: "It is at least something to think about. Soccer
is the only sport where the referee has no chance to verify his
verdict." Cech does not believe Liverpool would have received a penalty
because of his challenge on Baros.

Cech added: "I just occupied the space. Milan hit the ball and then he
jumped into me. In my opinion it could not be a penalty."

However, the linesman at the centre of the goal row - Slovakian
assistant referee Roman Slysko - insisted he had no doubts about the
winning goal.

"I believe that my decision was correct," he insisted. "My first feeling
and which I remain convinced of is that it was a goal. I am 100%
convinced that it was a goal.

It was a very hard situation and in that kind of a situation a person
only has a few hundredths of a second to react.

"From my information as well I understand that TV replays have also not
been able to prove that it was not a goal.

"I saw it clearly. In my view I was adequately positioned for that
situation."

The 31-year-old, a doctor by profession, added that even though some
people say that a goal in such an important match should be proved
beyond doubt "there will always be those kind of situations in football
matches everywhere".

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