Mikel Arteta was left seething after a contentious penalty awarded to Arsenal was rescinded following a VAR review in a thrilling 1-1 stalemate against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi‑final. The match, held at the Metropolitano, saw referee Danny Makkelie initially point to the spot for the third time in the game when Eberechi Eze appeared to be brought down by David Hancko in the 78th minute. However, after a lengthy check on the video screen, the official concluded that the contact was insufficient to merit a penalty and overturned his original decision. Arteta publicly condemned the reversal, calling it "completely unacceptable" and saying, "After reviewing the incident in the dressing room I am extremely disappointed and annoyed.
It was against the rules and changes the course of the tie. I'm very upset." The manager’s frustration was echoed by many supporters who felt the decision altered the momentum of a tightly contested encounter.
The line‑ups featured a host of notable names. Atletico fielded Jan Oblak, Marcos Llorente, and the ever‑dangerous Julian Alvarez, while Arsenal’s backline included Aaron Ramsdale, William Saliba and the midfield engine Declan Rice, who was later named Player of the Match. Viktor Gyokeres had earlier put Atletico ahead from the spot after being pushed by the same Hancko, only for Arsenal to equalise when Ben White was penalised for a handball following a VAR check. The referee judged that White's arm was in an unnatural position when struck by Llorente’s shot, awarding a second penalty which Alvarez converted.
Arsenal entered the match with the ambition of reaching the Champions League final for only the second time in their history. They dominated the first half, creating several chances and keeping the pressure on the visitors.
The second half, however, saw Atletico launch a fierce assault. Alvarez’s free‑kick narrowly missed the target, Antoine Griezmann struck the crossbar, and Ademola Lookman wasted a clear‑cut opportunity by shooting straight at Ramsdale when he should have been able to finish from the centre of the box.
The controversy surrounding the overturned penalty dominated post‑match analysis. When Eze fell inside the box after a foot‑to‑toe clash with Hancko, the home crowd erupted in approval as the decision was reversed, and Diego Simeone celebrated wildly. Yet Arsenal continued to press, with substitute Cristhian Mosquera challenging Jan Oblak from the edge of the penalty area, further intensifying the drama.
Despite the draw, the result leaves Arsenal in a favourable position heading back to London for the second leg, where they will aim to secure a place in a final that could see them face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint‑Germain. The penalty saga, however, remains a sore point for Arteta and his players, who feel they were denied a clear goal‑scoring opportunity. In his post‑match press conference, Arteta expressed his anger: "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. This changes the course of the game at this level.
I'm sorry, but this cannot happen. There's a very clear explanation: the decision, and then what happens for a period of time when the referee has to watch it 13 times. I think it's impossible and we are all fuming about it.
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, and what they said at the beginning of the season.
Yes, it's a clear and very obvious penalty. But when you have fought so hard for nine months to be in this position, that's another goal that changes the tie completely. And it can't happen.
I'm sorry. We put so much on it. This cannot happen." Simeone, for his part, offered a measured response, stating, "I never give my opinion on my colleague's statement. In terms of their first penalty, in my humble opinion, the player feels contact on his back and he drops down.
In the Champions League semi‑finals, this cannot be a penalty, but the referee believed it was. The second one was not a penalty. Sometimes the VAR plays in your favour and sometimes it doesn't." Looking ahead, Arsenal will shift their focus to the Premier League title race, with a crucial trip to Fulham scheduled for Saturday at 5.30pm.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid will return to LaLiga action against Valencia later that same day. Both clubs will be eager to build on the lessons learned from this dramatic night at the Metropolitano, where a single decision sparked intense debate about the role of technology in modern football. The controversy is likely to dominate discussions until the second leg, where the Gunners will have another chance to settle the score and potentially secure a historic place in the Champions League final.