2025-26 UEFA Champions League - See Mod Note Post 1

UEFA seem to be consistent though these days. And sort of a handball these days is given as a penalty. It's been talked about every game week the last year or so - "that's a penalty in Europe". So it's consistent.

And from what I've seen. UEFA are also being consistent in overruling penalty decisions where players are clearly playing for the penalty and are trying to manufacture 'contact' in order to win a penalty.

It's a contact game, contact does not equals foul. Eze was not fouled last night. He was barely touched and he launched himself down to the right in order to win the penalty. The 'contact' didn't make him fall over or trip him up. He exaggerated a dive. He could have continued to fight for the ball, but chose not to do so. It's very evident because you can see that he leaves his left leg trailing behind him so that it will 'contact' someone else. All those still images are worthless claiming his right foot was stood on. It doesn't show the second before or after the touch. Eze went down holding his left shin - the one he left trailing behind him instead of taking a step so that he would bang into someone, even though it's claimed that his right foot was stood on.

UEFA overruled it. Just like they did 2 weeks ago when MacAllister stood in front of a player so the player had nowhere else to run into and knocked him over. It's manufactured contact and not a penalty, just like last night.

VAR only 'recommends' a review. The ref is the person who actually initiates a review and the final decision is always taken by the referee, either based on information from the VAR or after the referee has undertaken an ‘on-field review’ (OFR).

I'll be honest, people get too hung up on the 'clear and obvious' thing, not to mention this almost 'mythic' status of contact. It's far more important to get the decision correct, and frankly, I think all decisions involving red cards and pens should be subject to OFR regardless of whether or not a recommendation comes in. If the ref awards a pen on-field, he should immediately proceed to the touchline so as to minimize delay. It breaks it down to the ascribed individual still making the call, as it should be, and would allow, with the highest probability, the right call to be arrived at as opposed to hiding behind whether there should be a review or what counts as 'clear and obvious'. If people need an error to hang their hat on with regard to last night's pen call - then the error is the actual initial award by the ref.

The VAR protocol actually worked. The ref made a understandable split second call, but with the benefit of the system, a potential match-altering incident was prevented and it is the ref who ultimately overrided his first decision.

Yes. Required OFRs would clarify that principle. The VAR team did see a clear and obvious error. They recommended the ref wrongly perceived a foul. All pen decisions are subject to VAR scrutiny.

Because, even a casual observer should be able to weigh in favour of arriving at the right decision, as opposed to hiding behind a subjective evaluation of whether a split second call in a game mired by seeking to gain advantage or even outright cheating should prevent the former.

Listening to TNT arguing in favour of the latter and trying to frame the correct use of VAR in bad light was insufferable.

The official who made the call corrected his error. That is a good thing IMO.

VAR is great. Sure what did we used to talk about after a Champions League Semi final? Referee mistakes?

Glad that's not a thing anymore

Arteta Derrangement Syndrome on full show here.

I assume jealous Liverpool & Man United fans.

Don't worry lads, you'll get back to the top table sometime...

Imagine getting hung up on something that is fundamental to the very concept of VAR in the first place, is literally in the first principle of the VAR protocol, and is then also applied in the 3rd principle of the VAR protocol.

It is literally a cornerstone of the entire VAR process to begin with ffs.

I would probably hold off until ye have actually won something

I mean it really only matters that you are top after the 38th game is played

It's nice to be contending at the top and not just be also-rans.

I assume (although I shouldnt really) he means the ref could have been affected…. He was the final decision maker and in fairness he was the one being screamed at by Simeone

Didn't see the match, but I know Arsenal had a penalty overturned. Was this the incident?

I think I'd agree with that.

It shows adequately why Arsenal aren't liked by neutrals tbf. Some of their fans are insufferable.