VAR steals the show as Arsenal held in Madrid
Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final first leg in Madrid had everything but clarity. A hard-fought 1-1, a manager fuming, and VAR once again hogging the limelight. The Gunners thought they had a late penalty, only for the decision to be hauled back from the brink by the video room — and two former Premier League referees have torn into it.
The flashpoint: penalty given, then gone
With the tie level in the 78th minute, Eberechi Eze tumbled under a challenge from David Hancko. Danny Makkelie, no slouch with the whistle, pointed straight to the spot. Then came the dreaded walk to the monitor. Moments later, the award was chalked off. Mikel Arteta was spitting feathers afterwards, branding the u-turn unacceptable and deeply disappointing. It left Arsenal heading home with only a draw when, for a heartbeat, they had the chance to nick the lot.
Hackett: not clear and obvious — back your call
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett didn’t mince his words. He felt Makkelie’s first instinct was bang on and couldn’t fathom why the VAR dragged him in. In Hackett’s view, the on-field decision wasn’t a clear-and-obvious blunder, and the referee should have backed himself rather than bowing to the booth. In short, Hackett believed the spot-kick was correctly awarded at first — and wrongly taken away.
Halsey: clumsy foul, soft handball — VAR overreach
Ex-top-flight official Mark Halsey saw it much the same. Live, he thought Hancko’s contact on Eze was a clumsy foul — penalty. The subsequent review? Unnecessary. For him, it didn’t hit the clear-and-obvious threshold. Halsey then turned the heat on the other big call: the handball against Ben White that gave Atletico their spot-kick. Off balance, arm in a natural position — he reckoned it was harsh. Yes, these are often given in Europe, he said, but that doesn’t make them right, pointing to a similarly flimsy award in PSG vs Bayern the previous night.
Between them, the two former refs felt both headline decisions were mishandled: Arsenal’s pen should have stood, Atletico’s handball looked soft. That’s a brutal assessment on a night when the football deserved to be centre stage.
Touchline theatre: Simeone in the spotlight
Diego Simeone’s technical-area antics were another sub-plot. Halsey was unimpressed, suggesting the fourth official could have stepped in sooner as tempers frayed. After the final whistle there were reports of a heated exchange involving an Arsenal player — classic Simeone-era edge to a tie that scarcely needed spice.
The Arteta narrative: genius or fraud? Behave.
Even before a ball was kicked at the Wanda Metropolitano, Jamie Carragher had fanned the flames, saying the season’s run-in would see Mikel Arteta branded either a genius or a fraud depending on trophies — though he made clear he doesn’t buy either extreme. Thierry Henry’s wide-eyed reaction said plenty: high drama off the pitch to match what followed on it.
What it means for the second leg
As the dust settles, the tie is finely poised. Arsenal can take heart from the performance but will feel aggrieved at the officiating. The message now? Park the outrage, finish the job in the return leg, and don’t leave it to interpretations. For those weighing up the form and odds ahead of the decider, our curated list of best betting sites is a handy starting point — but on nights like this, you sense it’ll be nerve rather than numbers that decides it.
