Mark Clattenburg gives his verdict on VAR overturning Arsenal’s penalty vs Atletico Madrid

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal came away with a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid but could have had a win had it not been for VAR and the referee overturning a late penalty call for a foul on Eberechi Eze.

Eze went down under a challenge from David Hancko which, at first viewing, looked like being an obvious pen as his foot landed on Eze’s.

However, VAR insisted that referee Danny Makkiele head over the monitor. From here, the crowd – and Atletico’s bench – raised the pressure and Makkiele eventually buckled, overturning his decision.

It was a controversial moment to end a tasty game and here at Arsenal Insider, we’ve spoken to Mark Clattenburg to get his verdict on the decision.

Mark Clattenburg says Eberechi Eze penalty was correctly overturned against Atletico Madrid

Arsenal fans will be fuming about this decision. At first glance, it seemed an obvious penalty and it will feel like another big decision going against the Gunners this season.

However, according to Clattenburg, the referee was actually right in the end.

“The referee awarded a penalty when Eze went down inside the penalty area. My first impression was penalty but when you look it again, Eze’s fall was not consistent with any contact, if any, and I believe the right result of no penalty was correct,” Clattenburg told Arsenal Insider.

“Some will argue was it a clear and obvious error for the referee and that is another debate.”

• READ MORE: https://www.arsenalinsider.com/match-reports/what-arsenal-were-just-told-by-uefa-after-they-complained-about-the-pitch-at-atletico-madrid/

The game was, as expected, full of controversy right from the get go when Arsenal staff complained to UEFA about the pitch.

Furthermore, Atletico’s own penalty was a harsh call, with Ben White adjudged to have handballed it.

Indeed, Clattenburg also had his say on that incident.

“We saw in the PSG v Bayern Munich match, UEFA has a different interpretation on handball even if the football and myself believe it is too harsh. Atletico Madrid got a similar penalty when the ball came off Ben Whites shin before hitting his hand. Handball law has been very subjective and controversial for years and is at no point being solved,” Clattenburg added.

Clearly, we are still in a position where big referee and VAR calls are costing teams. And at the semi-final stage of the Champions League, there’s an argument that it’s simply unacceptable.