A linesman found himself in a tough spot when he needed to award an offside in the Champions League game between Liverpool and Roma on Tuesday.

He didn't have a flag to wave.

The German official's flag had fallen apart moments earlier and its replacement was unusable, too. So when Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino was played through on goal in the fifth minute, the linesman had to run down the touchline with a flag in one hand and a bare pole in the other.

He eventually brandished his flagpole, though it wasn't easy to see.

He was given a working flag moments later.