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Al Hilal's Kalidou Koulibaly calls out lack of penalties in Club World Cup loss

Al Hilal's Kalidou Koulibaly calls out lack of penalties in Club World Cup loss

New York Times2 days ago
Al Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly claims 'everybody in the world' saw that the officials should have awarded him two penalties as the Saudi Pro League side lost 2-1 to Fluminense in the quarter-final of the Club World Cup.
The Senegal international went to the ground twice in the second half, but referee Danny Makkelie waved his appeals away both times.
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Al Hilal was awarded a penalty in the first half for a trip on Marcos Leonardo, but it was overturned by video assistant referee (VAR).
Koulibaly went down from a corner, claiming to have been pulled, and later collapsed to the ground when he felt contact on his heel. The referee did not consult the monitor.
'We made a good game, we wanted to win and we deserved more,' said Koulibaly. 'But at the end of the game, everybody in the world saw it. I don't know why the referee didn't go over to check the VAR two times on me. I don't understand.
'Sometimes we want to accept everything but when you lose like this it is a shame. We did everything in the game and it was the chance of our life. The referee didn't do his job for me, and during the half-time, he came out to speak to us very badly. I don't understand this aggression with the Al Hilal team.'
After beating Manchester City in the last 16, Al Hilal's loss to Fluminense came as a disappointment. The former Napoli and Chelsea centre-back found it difficult to accept his team did not have a chance to score from the spot.
'I can understand the penalty in the first half as it is difficult to interpret,' said Koulibaly. 'So I told him I accept it even if I don't agree, but after the two last ones from me, at the corner kick, (it) was incredible.
'If you don't see this as a penalty, I don't know what you see as a penalty. They want us to cooperate with them, but they also have to cooperate with us. When you don't go to check the VAR, I don't understand. He went to check in the first half but he also has to check for the second and third.
Koulibaly says there was a disagreement with Makkelie as they came back out of the tunnel.
'Maybe he was a little late at half time, but there are some ways to speak to the players,' Koulibaly said. 'Every referee wants to be helped by the team, but when you speak to us like this, I don't think it's normal. Fluminese want to win, we want to win. They have to accept that we want to win.
'I think when you see the two penalties like this and you lose like this, for me I am very sad. It is not that Fluminese make it difficult, but the world saw it, and we are going home.'
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Club World Cup semifinal power rankings: Battle for the trophy intensifies
Club World Cup semifinal power rankings: Battle for the trophy intensifies

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Club World Cup semifinal power rankings: Battle for the trophy intensifies

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