Arteta Expresses Frustration Over Penalty Versus Atlético Decision
Mikel Arteta was extremely frustrated after a penalty versus Atlético was ruled out during the Champions League semi-final first leg between Arsenal and Atlético Madrid. The incident occurred in the 78th minute when the score was tied at 1-1.
Controversial Penalty Call and VAR Review
The Dutch referee Danny Makkelie initially awarded Arsenal a penalty after Atlético defender David Hancko appeared to foul substitute Eberechi Eze with a late tackle. However, after reviewing the incident multiple times on the pitchside monitor—reportedly 12 or 13 replays—Makkelie overturned his decision, judging that the contact was not strong enough to warrant a penalty.
Arteta described himself as “incredibly fuming” with the decision, stating that there was no clear and obvious error in the original call and that overturning it changed the course of the game. He criticized the lengthy review process and the lack of a clear explanation for the reversal, emphasizing that such decisions should be consistent with other penalty rulings in the match.
Match Context and Arteta’s Reaction
Earlier in the match, two penalties had already been awarded and converted: one for Arsenal after a foul by Hancko on Viktor Gyökeres, and one for Atlético following a handball by Arsenal’s Ben White. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Arteta acknowledged the difficulty of the match environment at Atlético’s Metropolitano Stadium and praised his players for their resilience. Despite the disappointment over the penalty decision, he remained optimistic about the second leg, which will be played in north London.
“At this level, I’m sorry but this cannot happen. There is clear contact. If you make that decision, you cannot overturn that decision. When you have to look at it 13 times … at this level it’s completely unacceptable.”
Arteta also reflected on the significance of the tie, noting the effort his team had put in over nine months to reach this stage and how the overturned penalty could have changed the outcome.