Mikel Arteta was left fuming after Arsenal had a penalty controversially overturned following a VAR check in a pulsating 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
Referee Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot for the third time in the game when Eberechi Eze went down following a challenge by David Hancko in the 78th minute, but changed his decision after being sent to the monitor and deeming the contact insufficient. Arteta called the decision “completely unacceptable” and said he was “extremely disappointed and annoyed”, claiming it “changes the course of the tie”.
Viktor Gyokeres had earlier fired Arsenal in front from the spot after being pushed by the same Atletico player. Atletico responded when Julian Alvarez converted a penalty after Ben White was penalised for handball following a VAR review, his arm judged to be in an unnatural position when struck by Marcos Llorente’s shot.
Player ratings
– Atletico Madrid: Oblak (6), Llorente (6), Pubill (6), Hancko (5), Ruggeri (6), Simeone (6), Cardoso (6), Koke (7), Lookman (7), Griezmann (7), Alvarez (8). Subs: Le Normand (6), Baena (6), Molina (n/a)
– Arsenal: Raya (7), White (6), Saliba (7), Gabriel (7), Hincapie (7), Zubimendi (6), Rice (8), Odegaard (6), Martinelli (6), Madueke (7), Gyokeres (7). Subs: Eze (7), Saka (6), Jesus (6), Trossard (6), Mosquera (n/a)
– Player of the Match: Declan Rice
Arsenal controlled the first half but faced a fierce Atletico onslaught after the break. Alvarez tested Arsenal with a free-kick that went narrowly wide, Antoine Griezmann rattled the crossbar and Ademola Lookman was denied by David Raya when he should have scored from close range. Atletico then had to withdraw Alvarez, and Arsenal regained control, looking to take advantage when Eze went down inside the box from foot-to-foot contact with Hancko. The referee initially pointed to the spot before overturning the decision following a VAR check, prompting wild celebration from the home crowd and outrage from Arsenal.
Substitute Cristhian Mosquera almost forced a late winner for Arsenal, stinging Oblak’s palms with a shot from the edge of the box, but the match finished 1-1.
The draw gives Arsenal a positive result to take back to London for next week’s second leg as they chase a place in the final against the winner of Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain. Still, the overturned penalty left Arteta and his players bitter that they did not win.
Arteta on the overturned penalty
“What I’m incredibly fuming with is how the hell the penalty on Ebs gets overturned in the manner that it happened when there is no clear and obvious error,” Arteta said. “This changes the course of the game at this level. I’m sorry, but this cannot happen… We need to apply the rules. They applied the rules on Ben’s penalty. That is difficult to accept but it is a penalty with a handball.”
Analysis: Arsenal aggrieved but resilient
The overturned penalty will dominate the fallout from a dramatic night at the Metropolitano. Arteta felt his side had been denied a famous victory, but he took encouragement from how his team rode out Atletico’s pressure after half-time. Arsenal “rode their luck” at times — Griezmann hit the bar, Lookman had opportunities — but showed resilience, earning a draw to defend at the Emirates next week. Arteta praised his players for handling the context and staying competitive.
Simeone on the decisions
Atletico boss Diego Simeone said he would not comment directly on his counterpart’s statements but insisted the first Arsenal penalty felt soft and maintained the second was not a penalty, adding that VAR “sometimes plays in your favour and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Arsenal milestones and stats
– Arsenal have equalled their longest-ever unbeaten run in the European Cup/Champions League, going 13 consecutive games without defeat for the first time since March 2005–April 2006.
– Viktor Gyokeres scored his 19th goal of the season for Arsenal.
– Declan Rice completed 83 passes, the second-most by an English midfielder in a Champions League semi-final after Michael Carrick’s 99 in April 2011.
What’s next
Before the return leg at the Emirates next Tuesday, Arsenal focus on the Premier League title run-in with Fulham visiting on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm). Atletico travel to Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday afternoon.