SoccerRecap
“It has to be a penalty” – Diego Simeone reacts to VAR controversy during Atletico Madrid-Arsenal draw
Simeone insists 'It has to be a penalty' after Atletico's draw with Arsenal
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SoccerRecap
'Completely unacceptable' - Arteta slams Eze penalty decision
TL;DR
Mikel Arteta criticized the VAR decision to overturn a penalty for Eberechi Eze, calling it 'completely unacceptable'. Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
Key points
- Mikel Arteta criticized the VAR decision
- Penalty for Eberechi Eze was overturned
- Match ended in a 1-1 draw
- Second leg at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday
- Foot-on-foot contact led to the penalty call
Mentioned in this story
Mikel Arteta
ArsenalAtletico MadridEberechi Eze
Mikel Arteta called the decision to overturn a penalty awarded to Eberechi Eze as "completely unacceptable" after his Arsenal side were pegged back to draw 1-1 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with Atletico Madrid.
Substitute Eze went to ground in the box when he was challenged by David Hancko on 78 minutes. There was foot-on-foot contact and the Gunners looked set to have the opportunity to retake the lead. But VAR stepped in and advised referee Danny Makkelie to go to the monitor.
After watching multiple replays, Makkelie decided to rule out the penalty-kick he had awarded and the game finished level, ahead of the second leg at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
- Atletico Madrid 1-1 Arsenal - Match report | As it happened | Teams | Stats
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Arteta gave a damning assessment of the decision when he spoke 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. "I'm very, very upset.
"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 and it changes the course of the tie."
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Q&A
What did Mikel Arteta say about the overturned penalty decision?
Mikel Arteta described the decision to overturn Eberechi Eze's penalty as 'completely unacceptable'.
What was the outcome of the Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid match?
The match ended in a 1-1 draw between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
When is the second leg of the Champions League semi-final between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid?
The second leg of the Champions League semi-final is scheduled to take place at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
What led to the VAR intervention during the match?
VAR intervened after Eberechi Eze was challenged in the box, leading the referee to overturn the initially awarded penalty.
