FootyChatter.com

Football

Arsenal were denied a penalty late in the second half at Atletico Madrid in their Champions League semi-final first leg after VAR recommended a review after David Hancko was judged to have fouled Eberechi Eze; Mikel Arteta was fuming with the decision which he said was 'against the rules' Thursday 30 April 2026 08: 47, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player UEFA has released a statement to explain why Arsenal had a late penalty overturned in their Champions League semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid. Substitute Eberechi Eze initially earned a spot-kick after going down under a challenge from Atletico defender David Hancko after 78 minutes. Despite contact being made with Eze's foot, the VAR intervened to recommend referee Danny Makkelie review the incident at his on-screen monitor. After watching multiple replays, Makkelie decided to rule out the penalty-kick, a decision Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta slammed as "completely unacceptable", and the game finished 1-1 ahead of the second leg next Tuesday. In a brief statement, UEFA explained the decision: "Atleti player, No 17, did not commit a foul on the opponent. " European football's governing body declined to provide any further clarification about the decision-making process for the penalty overturn when approached by Sky Sports News. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player UEFA said upon introduction of the technology that "the VAR team will check all match-changing situations but only intervene for clear and obvious mistakes".

Arteta slams Eze penalty decision

Penalty drama reigns as Arsenal draw with Atleti

Arsenal news and transfer latest

Arsenal fixtures

Arteta was fuming with the decision and said it left him feeling "very upset" when speaking to TNT Sports immediately after the game. "After going back into the dressing room, speaking to the boys and watching the penalty incident, it's extremely disappointing and annoying because it was against the rules and it changes the course of the tie, " he said. "The whole sequence. There is clear contact. You make the decision, you cannot overturn that decision when you have to look at it 13 times. It's completely unacceptable at this level. "It's the wrong decision. " Asked in his post-match press conference if Arsenal would protest the decision to UEFA, Arteta said: "I leave that to the club to decide what's the best thing to do. Now they're not going to give us a penalty. That's it. That's gone. " This was a match defined by three penalties and the first Champions League knockout game since 2001 in which 100 per cent of the goals, when there were more than one, came from penalties. Arsenal led at half-time through a spot-kick won and scored by Viktor Gyokeres, when Hancko was again involved, bundling over the striker from behind. But an improved Atletico levelled after the break through Julian Alvarez when VAR spotted a handball by Ben White from Marcos Llorente's shot and sent referee Makkelie to the monitor. Despite the ball deflecting off White's knee against his hand, a penalty was awarded. On that decision, Arteta conceded the interpretation of handball in the Champions League is different from the Premier League. "They have been consistent with that, " he said. "If you are going to give a penalty for this kind of thing, you have to accept it. " The handball call against White followed an even more controversial decision to punish Alphonso Davies in Paris Saint-Germain's win over Bayern Munich in the other semi-final. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher posted on X to say UEFA must address the definition of handball in the Champions League. "The Champions League is the best football by a mile, but these penalty decisions for handball really are a stain on the competition. Last [night's] was worse but that should not be a penalty against White, " he said. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k! Enter for free.

© 2026 Sky UK