Mikel Arteta was visibly incensed after a contentious penalty awarded to Arsenal was rescinded following a VAR review in a thrilling 1‑1 stalemate against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi‑final. The incident has sparked a heated debate about officiating standards at the highest level.
In the 78th minute, referee Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot for the third time in the match when Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze appeared to be brought down by Atletico defender David Hancko. After consulting the video assistant, Makkelie reversed his decision, concluding that the contact was insufficient to merit a penalty.
Arteta labelled the reversal "completely unacceptable," adding that he felt "extremely disappointed and annoyed" after reviewing the footage in the dressing room. He argued that the decision contravened the rules and altered the trajectory of the tie, leaving him "very upset." The line‑ups for the evening were as follows: Atletico Madrid – Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri, Simeone, Cardoso, Koke, Lookman, Griezmann, Álvarez (with substitutes Le Normand, Baena and Molina). Arsenal – Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié, Zubimendi, Rice, Ødegaard, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyökeres (with substitutes Eze, Saka, Jesus, Trossard and Mosquera).
Declan Rice was named Player of the Match. Earlier in the game, Viktor Gyökeres had converted a penalty for the Gunners after being pushed in the box by the same Atletico player, giving Arsenal a fleeting lead.
The advantage was short‑lived, however, as Julian Álvarez stepped up to the spot for Atletico after Ben White was adjudged to have handled the ball. VAR scrutiny determined that White's arm was in an unnatural position when Marcos Llorente’s shot struck him, prompting the penalty which Álvarez duly converted.
Arsenal entered the match hoping to secure a place in the Champions League final – only the second time in the club’s history – and they dominated possession in the first half. The second half saw Atletico unleash a series of attacks. Álvarez’s free‑kick drifted just wide, Antoine Griezmann smacked the crossbar, and Ademola Lookman’s effort was comfortably saved by David Raya, despite Lookman being well‑placed to score from the centre of the box. Midway through the second period, Atletico were forced to withdraw Álvarez due to injury, allowing Arsenal to regain some breathing room.
A potential penalty for Arsenal seemed imminent when Eze went down inside the area after a foot‑to‑toe clash with Hancko. The home crowd erupted in approval when VAR overturned the call, and Diego Simeone celebrated emphatically. Nevertheless, Arsenal continued to press, with substitute Cristhian Mosquera challenging Jan Oblak from the edge of the box.
The 1‑1 result leaves Arsenal with a positive platform to return to London for the second leg, where they will aim to outplay either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint‑Germain in a possible final. Yet the disputed penalty decision has left Arteta and his squad feeling short‑changed. During the post‑match press conference, Arteta vented his frustration: "What I’m incredibly fuming about 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." He continued, "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." Arteta’s comments underscored the emotional weight of the moment. He felt his side had been denied a historic victory, though he acknowledged that securing a draw was still a favourable outcome.
He praised his players for weathering Atletico’s relentless pressure after the break, noting that the Gunners showed resilience even when luck was not on their side. "They are so competitive," Simeone observed, adding that he was proud of his own squad’s performance. Arteta echoed that sentiment, stating, "I’m very proud. I said that to the boys, the way we handled the context for nine‑and‑a‑half months is remarkable.
I really value what they’ve done because I’ve seen some of the best teams in the world here fall apart and concede three and four. We didn’t get the result that we wanted, and the way we planned the game, we wanted to win it.
At least it is in our hands, in front of our people. We want to be in that final and in a week’s time we are going to have the opportunity to do so." Diego Simeone, Atletico’s manager, also addressed the controversy, saying, "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 focus to the Premier League title race with an upcoming clash against Fulham on Saturday at 5.30 pm, before returning to the Metropolitano for the second leg of the semi‑final. Atletico, meanwhile, will travel to Valencia for their LaLiga fixture later in the week.
The drama surrounding the overturned penalty will dominate discussions about this night at the Metropolitano, highlighting the growing influence of technology in football and the fine margins that can decide the fate of a season‑long campaign.