Jurgen Klopp has questioned the penalty that ensured Liverpool began their Champions League defence with a controversial defeat and called for greater clarification of VAR.
Napoli's Dries Mertens netted a hotly-disputed spot kick eight minutes from time that helped consign the Reds to a 2-0 defeat in their Group E opener in Italy on Tuesday night.
Referee Felix Brych pointed to the spot despite Jose Callejon appearing to fall to the ground before a challenge from Andy Robertson.
VAR refused to overturn the decision by not deeming it a clear and obvious error, with Napoli substitute Fernando Llorente then scoring in injury time after a defensive mix-up between Robertson and Virgil van Dijk.
And Klopp has contested the penalty he believes was a “game-changer”.
“I'm pretty sure there are different views on that situation but when the player jumps before there is contact then there cannot be a penalty,” said the Reds boss.
“We conceded the 1-0 and that was the game-changer. We can't change that any more, though. That's how it is. We carry on.
“I said last week against Newcastle that if it would have been decisive then we would have a different discussion. Today it was decisive.
“I could say a lot of things about it but I'm not a bad loser. I'm not the best loser but I'm not bad.
“It's a decision made by human beings. The rules say if it is not a clear mistake and it's still humans who decide if it's a mistake.
“It was very decisive in the moment. I think it (VAR) will help in the long-term but as long as human beings made the decision there is still potential for failure. We are all like this.”
Klopp added: “What can I say? The rules are like this, and they'd have to adjust the rules. The German (refereeing) team, they do it for a while already, the VAR was also German, they have been using it longer than others.
“They will find an explanation about why they did the right thing, that's how it is.
“If he didn't whistle for the penalty he wouldn't have been overruled by VAR. We all wanted to have more clarification in these things, now we don't have it.”
Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti refused to become embroiled in a debate over the spot kick award, and said: “I haven't seen a replay, it looked like a penalty from where I was sat but I haven't seen a replay and I don't want to get drawn into that.”
Klopp later addressed the post-match press conference and asked if anybody in the room thought it was a penalty after seeing the replays, after which only two Italian journalists put their hands up.
And the Reds boss joked: “Only two guys in the room think it's a penalty then it's still a penalty, they both wear glasses but mine are the right prescription!”
