FUMING Mikel Arteta slammed VAR after his side were on the wrong end of penalty controversy in Madrid.
The Gunners gained a vital semi-final first-leg — but they were seething after a late penalty was overturned.
Mikel Arteta was left fuming at VAR after Arsenal’s draw with Atletico Madrid Credit: TNT Sports
Eberechi Eze was denied a penalty after this challenge from David Hancko Credit: Getty
Eze was by Atletico defender David Hancko with the scores tied at 1-1, but a lengthy review saw the referee turn back on his initial call.
boss Arteta said: “I am incredibly fuming with how the hell the penalty on Eze gets overturned in the manner that it happened when it’s so clear and obvious.
“It’s a clear contact, he made the decision and you cannot overturn that decision when you have to look at it 13 times.
“It changes the course of the game at this level. I’m sorry, but this cannot happen. It is completely unacceptable.”
Adding: “When you have fought so hard for nine months to be in this position.
“That’s another goal that completely changes the course of the tie, and it cannot happen.
“I’m sorry. We put so much into it. So, so much on it. This cannot happen.”
had put Arsenal in front from the spot in the 44th minute after David Hancko fouled the striker.
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But Atletico levelled when to have handled inside the penalty box.
Julian Alvarez smashed home his 56th-minute spot-kick following another intervention, a decision that Arteta felt wouldn’t be awarded in the Premier League.
He added: “It’s hard to understand that the handball, for example, isn’t a penalty [in England], but in it is.
“We know that. It’s fine; I accept it because there’s a criteria and they’ve made that decision.
“What happens later with Eze, I don’t understand.”
Atletico boss was upset with the officials himself, claiming that Gyokeres’ penalty should never have been given in the first place.
He said: “There is contact from the back, but the player waits for contact from the opponent and throws himself to the ground.
“It seems to me that in a semi-final, you need a penalty to definitely be a penalty.
“But the referee there thought it was a penalty.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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