Arsenal secured a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg, but the match was marred by controversial refereeing decisions, including a penalty that was awarded and then rescinded. The situation has left Arsenal feeling aggrieved.
Figure caption,
Why VAR shouldn't have intervened to overrule Eze penalty
After goals galore in Tuesday's spectacular Champions League tie between Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich, the officials took centre stage in the second semi-final 24 hours later.
Arsenal will return to Emirates Stadium next week with a creditable 1-1 draw from their first leg at Atletico Madrid - but that does not tell even half the story.
The match was a tale of three penalties. One was scored by Arsenal, one was scored by Atletico Madrid - and one, most controversially, was awarded to but then taken away from the Gunners.
Viktor Gyokeres put the Premier League side in front before half-time, scoring from the spot after being bundled over in the box.
Julian Alvarez then equalised with a penalty after a debatable handball decision given against Ben White - more on that later.
But the big talking point was the final penalty incident. Referee Danny Makkelie initially pointed to the spot when David Hancko caught Eberechi Eze. Then the video assistant referee (VAR) sent Makkelie to the monitor. And then the decision was overturned. It left Mikel Arteta "incredibly fuming".
"There is no clear and obvious error," Arteta said. "And this changes the course of the game. And at this level, I'm sorry but this cannot happen."
When asked whether he had been given an explanation for the decision, 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."
Arsenal will rue their overturned penalty against Atletico. Only last month, we saw a different decision in very similar circumstances.
In the first leg of their last-16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen, the Gunners were awarded a late penalty when Noni Madueke went down in the area under a challenge from Malik Tillman.
Contact on the England international was slight, with Tillman landing on the forward's boot as he fell to the ground.
BBC Sport discussed this very incident with a senior figure in Uefa's refereeing body. They explained that while they would prefer no penalty was awarded on the field, the contact left the VAR with nowhere to go.
Fast forward to Wednesday's game, and Atletico's David Hancko clearly catching the boot of Eberechi Eze after he had played the ball.
Soft? Absolutely. A clear and obvious error? Based on what Uefa said about the Madueke incident, the decision should remain with the on-field call.
The Premier League follows the same logic in these situations. The decision might seem soft, but there's no reason to go against the referee's decision.
The match featured three penalties: one scored by Arsenal, one by Atletico Madrid, and one that was awarded to Arsenal but later rescinded.
Arsenal managed to secure a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal felt aggrieved due to the controversial decision to take away a penalty that had initially been awarded to them during the match.
Arsenal will return to Emirates Stadium next week for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
PSG leads Bayern Munich 5-4 after the Champions League semifinal first leg, while Atletico Madrid and Arsenal drew 1-1. The final will take place in Budapest on May 30.
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If you are saying that the Madueke decision should stay as a penalty kick, then the same should apply to Eze.
Indeed, the Eze decision would not have been overturned if it were a Premier League game.
We've had two nights of handball controversy, first involving Bayern Munich and now Arsenal.
In both cases, the ball took a deflection off the body before hitting the arm, and fans have been conditioned into thinking this means there cannot be a penalty.
What referees actually look for is a clear change of trajectory. Why is that? Because it means the arm position would not create a barrier to the natural direction of the ball.
If the ball stays on roughly its intended path, then the ball touching the arm takes precedent.
The penalty given against Alphonso Davies on Tuesday would not have been awarded in the Premier League as the arm was too close to the body.
For Uefa, the fact that the arm moves out from the body before the ball hits it would trump the small deflection.
But Ben White's handball against Atletico was a very clear penalty under Uefa's definition. The arm was a long way out from the body and came in to make contact with the ball.
There is some discretion if the arm is being brought in to make the body smaller, but in White's case it started from so far out, a penalty would be expected.
The Premier League is more relaxed than Europe even when it comes to deflections before a handball. That said, Arsenal defender Gabriel should have really conceded a penalty at Newcastle earlier this season as his arm, when sliding, was raised very high and the deflection off the body was negligible.
Would the ball deflecting off White's shin have caused VAR to stay out of this in the Premier League? Possibly, but the movement of the arm was very clear.
A definite spot-kick in Europe, borderline for the Premier League.
On the handball decision, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said referee Makkelie was "influenced" by the similar choice to award PSG a penalty against Bayern Munich.
He told TNT Sports: "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 doesn't believe Atletico's penalty for handball would have been awarded in an English domestic game.
"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 penalty which was later overturned, Match of the day pundit Nedum Onuoha said he "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."
Figure caption,
Arsenal penalty cancelled out by another as Atletico first leg ends level