Why VAR Shouldn't Have Overruled Eze's Penalty
Following an exciting Champions League semi-final between Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich on Tuesday, the spotlight shifted to officiating in the second semi-final held 24 hours later.
Arsenal secured a 1-1 draw away at Atletico Madrid in the first leg, a result that only partially reflects the match's complexity.
The game was defined by three penalty incidents: one successfully converted by Arsenal, one by Atletico Madrid, and a highly contentious penalty initially awarded to Arsenal but later rescinded.
Viktor Gyokeres gave Arsenal the lead before halftime by scoring from the penalty spot after being fouled in the box.
Julian Alvarez equalised for Atletico via a penalty awarded following a debatable handball call against Arsenal's Ben White, a decision that has sparked considerable debate.
The most controversial moment came late in the match when referee Danny Makkelie initially awarded Arsenal a penalty after David Hancko fouled Eberechi Eze. However, after consultation with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Makkelie reviewed the incident on the monitor and overturned the decision, leaving Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta visibly upset.
"There is no clear and obvious error," Arteta stated. "And this changes the course of the game. And at this level, I'm sorry but this cannot happen."
When asked if he received an explanation for the reversal, he added: "No. A very clear explanation of the decision and what happens for a period of time, a referee has to watch it 13 times, what's more clear than that? It's impossible and we are all fuming about it."
Should the Penalty Have Been Overturned?
Arsenal will regret the overturned penalty decision against Atletico, especially considering a contrasting ruling in a similar situation last month.
In the first leg of their last-16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal were awarded a late penalty when Noni Madueke fell under a challenge from Malik Tillman. The contact was minimal, with Tillman landing on Madueke's boot as he went down.
consulted a senior UEFA refereeing official about that incident, who explained that although ideally no penalty would have been awarded on the field, the slight contact left VAR with no alternative but to uphold the decision.
In contrast, during Wednesday's match, Atletico's David Hancko clearly caught Eze's boot after the ball had been played.
While the contact was soft, it does not constitute a clear and obvious error. Based on UEFA's stance on the Madueke incident, the on-field decision should have stood.
The Premier League applies similar principles in such scenarios. Although the decision may appear soft, there is no justification to overturn the referee's call.
If the Madueke penalty was upheld, the same standard should apply to Eze's case.
Indeed, had this incident occurred in a Premier League match, the penalty would likely have remained awarded.
Was It Handball – And Would It Have Been Penalised in the Premier League?
Over the past two nights, handball decisions have sparked controversy, first involving Bayern Munich and then Arsenal.
In both cases, the ball deflected off the player's body before striking the arm, leading to confusion among fans who believe this should negate a penalty.
Referees, however, focus on whether there is a clear change in the ball's trajectory. This is crucial because a change indicates the arm's position obstructed the ball's natural path.
If the ball remains on its intended course, contact with the arm is generally disregarded.
The penalty awarded against Alphonso Davies on Tuesday would not have been given in the Premier League, as his arm was too close to his body.
UEFA's criteria consider the arm moving away from the body before contact as sufficient to award a penalty, even if the deflection is minor.
Ben White's handball against Atletico, however, was a clear penalty under UEFA rules. His arm was extended far from his body and moved to intercept the ball.
While some discretion exists if a player brings their arm in to reduce their body size, White's arm was already extended, making a penalty expected.
The Premier League is generally more lenient regarding deflections before handball. For example, Arsenal's Gabriel should have conceded a penalty earlier this season at Newcastle when his arm was raised high during a slide, despite minimal deflection.
Had the ball deflected off White's shin first, VAR might have refrained from intervening in a Premier League match. Nonetheless, the arm's movement was evident.
In UEFA competitions, this was a clear penalty; in the Premier League, it would be borderline.
What Was the Reaction from Pundits?
Regarding the handball decision, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard suggested referee Makkelie was "influenced" by a similar penalty awarded to PSG against Bayern Munich.
"I think the referees have been influenced by the decision that happened [in Paris].
They have seen the handball committed by Alphonso Davies that led to a penalty and thought we need to follow suit and give this one from Ben White - even if he tries to move his arm out of the way."
Match of the Day pundit and ex-Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock expressed doubt that Atletico's penalty for handball would have been awarded in English domestic football.
"I just don't think it gets given in the Premier League," Warnock said.
"His arm is already in that position and I know people might say it is an unnatural position but he's trying to block a shot and then it hits his leg and comes up and hits his arm.
It's just a bizarre decision but I wouldn't say we are shocked at seeing it given in the Champions League."
On the overturned penalty, Match of the Day pundit Nedum Onuoha acknowledged the rationale behind VAR's intervention.
"I can understand" why VAR would have wanted the referee to take another look.
"You could argue that all three penalties, if they were given, were all quite soft," he added.
"And although some people will believe he was always going to overturn it when he went to the screen, we have seen times when referees haven't - but he has decided that is the right decision."
Arsenal Penalty Cancelled Out as Atletico First Leg Ends Level
The first leg between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid concluded in a 1-1 draw, with both teams scoring from penalties. Arsenal's initial penalty was overturned after VAR review, while Atletico converted their penalty following a handball decision.
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