The UEFA Champions League match between Atlético Madrid and Liverpool was not short of controversies, and so wasn’t ex-match official Peter Walton’s fiery debate back in the studio.
Firing up in an intense argument over a controversial night in Madrid, Walton found himself in an amusingly contentious situation.
The ex-UEFA referee mispronounced Joel Matip’s surname in a keyed-up argument about the happenings of the match between Atlético Madrid and Liverpool.
As it’s common for pundits and commentators to find themselves in a self-righteous position to mispronounce players’ names, Peter Walton this time kept repeating his blunder several times throughout his analysis. His aberrant mispronunciation of the player’s name had some viewers in displeasure.
The ex-referee was heard comfortably mispronouncing the player’s surname ‘Matip’ as ‘Mapit’, while in a conversation with Peter Crouch and Joleon Lescott.
“MAPIT” 😂 💀 @NoContextJMatip pic.twitter.com/EbFKvHyL2p
— Dan Smith (@TheDanSmith96) October 19, 2021
And the fans watching the show were absolutely not having it. Several took to social media to express their disapproval of Peter Walton’s disdainful error.
Peter Walton REALLY hates being wrong. He hates it so much that when he mispronounces a players name he continues to say it incorrectly several more times in the hope that we all start thinking his name was ‘Joel Mapit’ all along
— Gray (@GMU12PHY) October 19, 2021
Peter Walton referring to Joel Matip as ‘Mapit’… is this the expertise that I’m paying for @btsport ??? Absolutely pathetic! #ATMLIV
— Thashe Raidu-Collier (@thasheRC) October 19, 2021
Peter Walton keeps inexplicably referring to his own armpit instead of Joel Matip on BT Sport.#Mapit
— Alex Nicholson (@AlexNic09282991) October 19, 2021
Peter Walton surely does this for free because there’s no way BT Sport pay him for his obscene insight. Mapit
— Will Oldham (@iamwilloldham) October 19, 2021
Why the hell was Peter Walton calling Matip Mapit? And why did no one on @btsportfootball correct him? He was making a big enough arse of himself without mispronunciation…
— Nigel Malone (@Northeastred) October 19, 2021
It began with BT Sport pundits Peter Crouch and Joleon Lescott not agreeing with Walton’s sentiments over Antoine Griezmann’s first goal – on whether Thomas Lemar’s position on the goal line (arguably) interfered Matip from playing the ball.
The incident sparked more debate than Atlético Madrid’s overturned penalty. While Crouch and Lescott argued that Lemar’s position intervened Matip from clearing the ball, Peter Walton defended the on-field referee’s decision to not overturn the goal, as Lemar neither plays the ball, attempts to play the ball or obstruct Matip.
The dissonant Lescott even took a sly dig at Walton saying how match officials invariably fail to scope out the picture, as the laws are written by members who have had no playing experience.
It was a fleet of emotions all around, as Simeone was seen bereft post-match, and stormed off ignoring a bemused Klopp.
More drama remains to be unfolded on-field, on the sidelines and backstage as Liverpool host the Spanish champions at Merseyside in two weeks. A win would see them qualifying with ease.
