Arsenal boss calls penalty reversal unacceptable
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- Mikel Arteta called the overturn of Eberechi Eze's penalty "completely unacceptable" and said it changes the course of the tie.
- VAR instructed referee Danny Makkelie to rescind the penalty after multiple replays showed a foot‑on‑foot contact between David Hancko and Eze.
- Declan Rice insisted the incident was a clear penalty and claimed the referee was "provoked" by the Atletico fans, influencing his decision.
- UEFA released a brief statement saying the Atletico player (No 17) did not commit a foul and declined to give further clarification on the decision.
- Arsenal drew 1‑1 with Atletico Madrid, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring a first‑half penalty and Julian Alvarez equalising after a handball by Ben White.
- Arteta said any protest would be left to the club, noting the hand‑ball rule interpretation differs between the Champions League and the Premier League.
Why it matters: Arsenal lose a potential winning goal that could have put them ahead in the semi‑final, while Atletico preserve a draw that keeps them in contention for the final. The incident also spotlights UEFA’s VAR handling, prompting criticism from the club and players and raising questions about consistency across competitions.
