ARSENAL should have conceded a second penalty against Bayern Munich after the referee “admitted” to seeing a clear handball in the box.
Boss Thomas Tuchel was left frustrated after claiming that whistler Glenn Nyberg admitted to seeing the bizarre incident.
During the second-half, goalkeeper David Raya took a goal-kick short to Gabriel.
Bafflingly, the Brazilian opted to pick the ball up to take the goal-kick again.
Harry Kane immediately appealed to Nyberg, who was taking charge of his first Champions League knockout game, but the 35-year-old refused to give a spot-kick.
After the game, Tuchel told TNT Sports: “The referee did not have the courage today to give us a deserved penalty, in a bit of a crazy and awkward situation.
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“He admitted on the pitch that he saw the situation and that in a quarter-final it’s not enough for him to give a penalty for a kids’ mistake.
“So he admitted that he knows about the mistake the player made. That is a bit frustrating.”
In his post-match press conference, Tuchel, 50, later added: “I felt a lot of little decisions go against us… and a huge mistake in not giving us a penalty.
“What makes us really angry is the explanation on the pitch. He said it’s a kid’s mistake and isn’t giving a penalty for that.
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“That means he’s judging handballs.”
After seeing footage of the incident, TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand was left in disbelief.
The former Manchester United star had been convinced that Arsenal should have had a penalty in the last minute when Bukayo Saka collided with Manuel Neuer in the box.
But he was left even more incredulous after seeing footage of Bayern’s penalty shout.
He said: “It’s a pen. Oh my gosh, how can that not be given?
“I was so adamant that the Saka one was… I’m even more for this, it’s unbelievable!
“How can he blow the whistle like that and not give it?”
‘INDEFENSIBLE’
Ferdinand, 45, then asked former Arsenal defender Martin Keown to try to defend the decision.
But Keown, 57, replied: “You can’t defend the indefensible. The referee is maybe a little out of his depth.
“Because we thought he had a decent game, but there’s key moments of the game, both you can look at and say they should have had a penalty.”
Why would he pick it up? It HAS to be a penalty, says Halsey
By Mark Halsey
Arsenal could have absolutely no complaints if a penalty was awarded to Bayern Munich.
The referee signalled for David Raya to take the goal kick.
He did… and Gabriel picked the ball up. Why would he do that? The whistle had been blown.
The only person who has made a mistake is Gabriel. Why would he pick the ball up?
Once the referee has blown his whistle and Gabriel has picked it up, he has to give a penalty.
Bayern were also unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty for a further incident, when Kane was wrestled to the ground by Martin Odegaard as a corner was whipped in.
Arsenal had gotten their first Champions League quarter-final since 2010 off to a perfect start, when Saka fired them into the lead in the 12th minute.
They were quickly pegged back, however, when former Gunner Serge Gnabry profited on a defensive mix-up to level just six minutes later.
Kane came back to haunt Arsenal just after the half-hour mark, converting the penalty that Bayern did get.
Mikel Arteta threw on super-sub Leandro Trossard, and the Belgian was able to rescue the situation by levelling in the 76th minute.
After the match, Arteta refused to be drawn on his side’s late penalty appeal.
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He said: “(The referee) didn’t say anything. They said they checked it and they decided it wasn’t a penalty.”
The two sides will meet again in Germany next Wednesday with the tie hanging in the balance.
Surprised it wasn’t a penalty, says Halsey
By Mark Halsey
SOME will say that Bukayo Saka initiated the contact, but Manuel Neuer stuck out his leg.
I was surprised Glenn Nyberg did not award Arsenal a penalty in real time at the end.
Bayern Munich could have no complaints if it was given, they got away with one.
Munich were very lucky.
It is subjective, so maybe that is why VAR did not get involved.
Had it been given, the decision would not have changed.
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Etienne Fermie
