In a thrilling encounter at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal and Bayern Munich battled to a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash. However, amidst the excitement, controversy brewed over penalty decisions that left both sides feeling aggrieved.
The drama unfolded deep into stoppage time when Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka went down under Manuel Neuer’s challenge inside the box. Despite fervent appeals from the home crowd, referee Glenn Nyberg waved away all protests, bringing an end to the match with a chorus of boos echoing through the stadium. Substitute Leandro Trossard expressed his disappointment, stating that it appeared to him as a clear penalty.
On the Bayern Munich side, manager Thomas Tuchel revealed his frustration over a separate penalty incident involving Gabriel. Tuchel felt that his team was denied a deserved penalty when Gabriel handled the ball after an Arsenal goal-kick, describing the situation as “crazy and awkward.” The referee’s explanation further irked Tuchel, who believed that the decision not to award the penalty was unjust, particularly in a crucial quarter-final encounter.
The contentious penalty decision concerning Bukayo Saka’s fall divided opinions among football pundits. Rio Ferdinand and Martin Keown expressed disbelief at the referee’s choice not to award a penalty to Arsenal. Ferdinand questioned the absence of VAR intervention, emphasizing that Saka’s situation warranted a penalty, while Keown remarked on the unanimity among referees in such instances, making the referee’s decision perplexing.
However, there were dissenting voices among the pundits. Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson defended the referee’s decision, suggesting that upon review, Saka appeared to initiate the contact with Neuer, thus justifying the non-award of a penalty. Similarly, Michael Brown argued that Saka’s attempt to influence the decision by placing his leg unnaturally did not merit a penalty. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta opted to refrain from engaging in the debate, stating that the officials had reviewed the incident and made their decision.
https://myfootballfacts.com/uefa/uefa-club/european-cup-and-champions-league/2023-24-uefa-champions-league-results-scores-and-fixtures/
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