Champions League: Why Bayern Munich Were Denied Penalty vs PSG After João Neves Handball
- The second leg of the Champions League semi-final between Bayern Munich and PSG was overshadowed by a major refereeing controversy
- Bayern were left furious after appeals for a penalty were waved away when the ball appeared to strike the hand of a PSG midfielder inside the box
- The incident has sparked fierce debate among fans, but IFAB laws prove the referee was spot on with his decision
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Bayern Munich were left furious during their Champions League semi-final second leg tie against Paris Saint-Germain after a strong penalty appeal was turned down.
The controversy erupted midway through the first half when the ball appeared to strike the arm of PSG midfielder João Neves inside the penalty box.
Bayern players instantly surrounded referee João Pinheiro, while the home crowd demanded a spot-kick.
Source: Twitter
But despite the loud protests, both the referee and VAR decided there was no penalty.
The incident occurred in the 30th minute as Bayern piled pressure on PSG as they chased the game after going down early in the game.
Vitinha attempted to clear the ball inside the area, only for it to strike the arm of his teammate João Neves from close range.
Bayern players reacted immediately, convinced they had been denied a huge opportunity in one of the biggest matches of the season.
Still, referee Pinheiro stood firm on his decision.
Watch the incident, as shared on X:
Why Bayern Munich’s penalty appeal was rejected
Under IFAB’s current handball laws, not every contact with the arm automatically results in a penalty.
The rules state the following:
"If a player is struck on the arm or hand by the ball coming directly from a teammate, it is generally not considered an offence unless it immediately leads to a goal or goalscoring situation."
That interpretation appears to be the key reason Bayern’s appeals were waved away.
Source: Twitter
Because Vitinha's clearance came directly off João Neves arm, officials judged the contact accidental and not punishable under the current laws.
Meanwhile, UEFA guidelines only allow VAR to intervene when there is a “clear and obvious error", and the video officials evidently believed the referee’s call fell within the laws of the game.
After the controversial incident, Bayern pushed relentlessly and eventually found an equaliser through Harry Kane, who previously equalled Ronaldo's Champions League record, late in the game.
However, it ultimately counted for little as PSG held firm to secure a 6-5 aggregate victory and book their place in the Champions League final, according to Opta.
The holders will now face Arsenal, who reached their first final in two decades after narrowly overcoming Atlético Madrid in the other semi-final.
Fans react to controversial Neves handball incident
The decision quickly became one of the biggest talking points of the night, with fans flooding social media with mixed reactions.
Some supporters defended the referee’s interpretation of the rules, while others felt Bayern had been denied a clear penalty in a crucial moment.
@NardoD0 cheekily said:
"Well, with this new rule from the Portuguese referees, you can finally clear the ball or touch it with your hand without any issue in the penalty area."
@Ntufamjr demanded a penalty:
"This is obviously a penalty... Even if I don't support Bayern, I support fairness for the game... That's a clear penalty, and there's no reason why it wasn't given."
@wizedgent alleged:
"Someone should tell me how much PSG paid for this match. Arab oil money is at work."
@Lisbonchar4842 summed up:
"Bayern should forfeit the rest of the game and shine light on the corruption going on they cannot win anyway with this ref. Why run around like idiots? Go shower and go home."
Psychic cat predicts PSG's UCL final qualification
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that psychic cat Nimbus Pronos correctly predicted PSG’s qualification to the Champions League final.
After backing PSG to defeat Bayern Munich in the first leg, the feline oracle doubled down on its forecast ahead of the return clash in Munich.
Source: YEN.com.gh
