VAR Chaos Leaves Arteta Fuming As Arsenal Held By Atlético

‎Mikel Arteta said he was “incredibly fuming” after Arsenal were denied a late penalty that could have given them an advantage in their Champions League semi-final first leg against Atlético Madrid.

‎With the game level at 1-1 in the 78th minute, referee Danny Makkelie initially pointed to the spot. When David Hancko caught Eberechi Eze with a late challenge.

‎Arteta was stunned when Makkelie overturned the decision after reviewing a long sequence of replays on the pitchside monitor.

‎The referee appeared to conclude that the contact was too slight to justify a penalty.

‎Makkelie had already given Arsenal a first-half spot-kick for another Hancko foul on Viktor Gyökeres, which Atlético strongly protested.

‎Gyökeres converted from the spot to put Arsenal ahead.

‎Atlético later equalised when Ben White was penalised for handball. After Marcos Llorente’s close-range shot struck him, allowing Julián Álvarez to score.

‎The match ended 1-1, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of the second leg.

Arteta comments on the match

‎“We were disappointed with the Atlético penalty,” Arteta said. “In the Premier League, it’s not a penalty but here I have to accept that with the rules and how consistent they’ve been, I accept that this is a handball.

‎“What I’m incredibly ­fuming with is how the hell the penalty on Ebs gets overturned in the ­manner that it happened when there is no obvious error. This changes the course of the game. And at this level, I’m sorry but this cannot happen.

‎“A very clear explanation of the decision is what happens for a period of time [when] a referee has to watch it 13 times. What’s clearer than that? It’s impossible and we are all fuming about it. We need to apply the rules … [the way] they applied the rules on Ben White’s penalty.

‎“When you have fought so hard for nine months to be in this ­position … I mean, that’s another goal that changed the course of the tie completely. And it cannot happen. We put so much on it. So, so, so much on it. This cannot happen.

‎“There is clear contact. If you make that decision, you cannot overturn that decision. When you have to look at it 13 times … at this level it’s ­completely unacceptable.”

‎Arteta was pleased by how his players coped with a hostile atmosphere at the Metropolitano Stadium. The second leg is in north London next Tuesday.

‎“I’m very proud,” Arteta said.

‎“I’ve seen some of the best teams in the world fall apart here and concede three and four. We didn’t get the result we wanted. But at least it is in our hands, in front of our people.”