Mikel Arteta was left incandescent after a late penalty award for Arsenal was overturned following a VAR check in a dramatic 1-1 Champions League semi‑final first leg at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano.
Referee Danny Makkelie initially pointed to the spot in the 78th minute when Eberechi Eze went down under a challenge from David Hancko, but after consulting the pitch‑side monitor overturned the decision, judging the contact insufficient. Arteta described the reversal as “completely unacceptable”, saying he was “extremely disappointed and annoyed” and that the call “changes the course of the tie”.
Arsenal had taken the lead from the spot earlier when Viktor Gyokeres converted after being pushed by the same Atletico defender. Atletico equalised when Julian Alvarez scored from the penalty spot following a VAR review that adjudged Ben White’s arm was in an unnatural position after Marcos Llorente’s shot struck it.
Match flow
Arsenal controlled the first half, but a much sharper Atletico emerged after the break. Alvarez threatened with a close free‑kick, Antoine Griezmann struck the crossbar and Ademola Lookman was denied by David Raya from almost point‑blank range. Atletico briefly lost Alvarez to injury, at which point Arsenal began to regain composure and pushed for a winner.
When Eze went down after a tussle with Hancko, the initial spot‑kick decision sparked huge Arsenal celebrations — which were cut short when VAR intervened. The overturn sent the home crowd into wild relief and left Arsenal players and staff visibly furious.
Late on substitute Cristhian Mosquera nearly won it for Arsenal, forcing a smart save from Jan Oblak with a driven shot from the edge of the area, but the game finished 1-1.
Player highlights and ratings
– Atletico: 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
Reaction and fallout
Arteta was scathing after the game. “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,” he 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.”
Diego Simeone avoided directly answering Arteta but defended the decisions, saying the first Arsenal penalty felt soft and insisting the second was not a foul. He added that VAR “sometimes plays in your favour and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Analysis
The overturned penalty will dominate headlines from a night of high drama. Arsenal felt they had been denied a famous win in Madrid but can draw encouragement from their resilience under intense Atletico pressure after half‑time. There were nervy moments — Griezmann’s effort hit the bar and Lookman had clear chances — yet Arsenal held firm and leave with a draw to defend at the Emirates in the second leg.
Notable stats and milestones
– Arsenal have matched their longest unbeaten run in European Cup/Champions League history, extending to 13 matches without defeat, a sequence not seen 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, behind Michael Carrick’s 99 in April 2011.
What’s next
Arsenal return to London with next Tuesday’s second leg at the Emirates in mind, but first face Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday (kick‑off 5.30pm). Atletico travel to Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday afternoon as both clubs juggle domestic and European ambitions.