Mauricio Pochettino blamed the officials for Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League collapse against Real Madrid, insisting that Karim Benzema's first goal should not have stood.
Benzema scored a stunning second half hat-trick as Real came from 2-0 down on aggregate to beat PSG 3-2 over the two legs, with Kylian Mbappe's strikes across both games ultimately proving fruitless.
Real's first goal came after Benzema had closed down PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, forcing the Italian into a miskicked clearance which ultimately ended in Benzema firing home.
Pochettino felt that Donnarumma was fouled by the forward, and was angry that VAR didn't intervene.
"Real's first goal changed the match," the Argentinean boss told Canal+.
"I wonder what the VAR is doing because for me there is something else. It's a shame, when you see the action. [It is] a foul.
"After that, the match changed. For 60 minutes we dominated, that goal changed everything.
"It's impossible not to talk about this big mistake made by the referees. It's hard not to accept.
"It's incredible that this is happening in 2022."
In a separate interview with RMC Sport he spoke about the impact on his future at the club, saying: "Paris St-Germain have been chasing the Champions League for a number of years now. I'm really disappointed, upset – but these things can happen. The next few weeks are not going to be easy."
Despite the manager's pleas, sympathy for PSG was in short supply.
The result echoed their disastrous 6-5 aggregate defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League in 2017 when they had been 4-0 up from the first leg, while star summer signing Lionel Messi also suffered similar reverses while playing for Barcelona against Roma in 2018 and Liverpool in 2019.
BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand took aim at the character of the PSG players.
"This isn't something that is a surprise because we have seen this time and again in the knockouts of the Champions League as PSG press the self destruct button," he said.
"It is mentality, maybe the culture of the club. This isn't something that is new at the club.
"They have fantastic talent in the squad but when the mentality isn't right on the day, you have to stay in the game. They didn't do that. It is part of the ingrained culture at PSG."
Fellow pundit and former Real Madrid player Steve McManaman added: "It was a brilliant evening for Karim Benzema and particularly Real Madrid.
"We expected PSG to unravel. They did what they always do, when they come under pressure, they melt away. There was no organisation and no leadership. Another historic night for Real."
