Key Takeaways
- Arsenal earned a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg in Spain
- Eberechi Eze was denied a penalty after VAR intervened to overturn the referee’s original decision
- Mikel Arteta criticised the officials, saying the error changed the course of the match
Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich scored many goals on Tuesday. However, the second semi-final created controversy with the referees. Arsenal left Madrid with a creditable 1-1 draw, but fans talked more about the officials than the match.
The game had three penalty incidents. Viktor Gyokeres scored from the spot to give Arsenal the lead. But Atletico Madrid equalised when Julian Alvarez converted a penalty after a handball decision against Ben White.
The big controversy came late in the match. Referee Danny Makkelie first awarded Arsenal a penalty. David Hancko had fouled Eberechi Eze in the box. However, the VAR asked the referee to check the monitor. Makkelie then cancelled the penalty.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was very angry about the change. “There is no clear and obvious error,” he said. “This changes the course of the game. At this level, this cannot happen.”
The manager said he got no explanation. “The referee watches it 13 times. What is more clear than that? We are all fuming about it.”
Why the VAR call was wrong
Arsenal saw inconsistent decisions last month too. The Gunners got a late penalty against Bayer Leverkusen. Noni Madueke fell under slight contact from Malik Tillman.
A senior UEFA refereeing official told BBC Sport that the contact meant VAR could not change the decision. The referee’s original call had to stand.
The Eze incident followed the same pattern. Hancko clearly caught the English forward’s boot. The contact was small, but under UEFA’s previous logic, the referee’s first decision should have stayed.
The Premier League uses similar guidelines. Soft penalties should stand if the referee awards them on the pitch. If the Madueke decision was correct, then Eze should also have kept his penalty.
Understanding the handball rules
The handball decision against White also caused debate. Many fans think a deflection off the body before the arm means no penalty. However, officials look for a clear change in the ball’s direction.
If the ball keeps its natural path, the arm position becomes the key factor. UEFA penalises arms that move away from the body before contact.
The penalty given to Alphonso Davies on Tuesday would not count in the Premier League. His arm stayed close to his body. However, White’s arm was extended far from his torso when the ball hit it. Under European rules, this was a clear spot-kick.
The Premier League is stricter about deflections. However, White’s arm movement was clear enough to warrant a penalty in any competition.
Expert opinions divided
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes the referee copied the Davies decision from the previous night. “I think the referees were influenced by Paris,” he told TNT Sports. “They saw the Davies handball and decided to give this one against White.”
Ex-Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock disagreed with the call. “I just don’t think it gets given in the Premier League,” he said on Match of the Day. “His arm is already in that position to block a shot. It’s a bizarre decision.”
Former Manchester City player Nedum Onuoha defended the VAR intervention for the Eze incident. “You could argue all three penalties were soft,” he explained. “But the referee decided to change his mind after seeing the replay.”
Arsenal must now focus on the second leg at the Emirates Stadium next week. They will hope for better luck with the officials as they chase a place in the Champions League final.