Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his outrage after a contentious penalty decision was overturned in his team's 1-1 Champions League semi-final first leg draw with Atletico Madrid. The referee initially awarded a penalty when Eberechi Eze was fouled, but the decision was reversed after a VAR review, deeming the contact insufficient. Arteta described the decision as 'completely unacceptable' and argued that it altered the course of the tie. Earlier, Viktor Gyokeres had given Arsenal the lead from the spot after being pushed over by an Atletico player, only for Julian Alvarez to equalize with a penalty for Atletico following a handball by Ben White.
The draw sets up a thrilling second leg at the Emirates, with Arsenal seeking to reach the Champions League final for only the second time in their history.