Arsenal and Bayern Munich have it all to play for in next week’s Champions League quarter-final after a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
In a chaotic match, Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for Arsenal, before Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane turned the score around for Bayern. However, the Gunners were not done yet: Leandro Trossard scored the equalizer in the 76th minute.
However, the game did not come without controversy. In the closing stages of extra time, Saka appeared to be tripped in the penalty area by Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but the call for a penalty was waved away by referee Glenn Nyberg with a VAR check, siding with the decision chose the field.
It wasn’t the only penalty for either team throughout the match. Thomas Tuchel explained in his post-match press conference why Bayern should have been awarded a second penalty in the second half.
But it was the late incident with Saka that caused the most discussion among fans and pundits. So our journalists thought we would have our say, from a few different points of view; look below.
READ MORE: Every word Mikel Arteta said about Saka’s penalty, Kane’s elbow and Arsenal’s inexperience
READ MORE: What Bukayo Saka did to the referee after Arsenal’s controversial penalty against Bayern Munich
Jack Flintham
After some of the penalties we’ve seen in football this season, it’s hard to understand why Saka didn’t get one against Bayern on Tuesday night. It is understood that the winger attempted to change direction as Neuer came off his goal line and so Saka could do little other than be brought down by the keeper in that instance.
Arguments suggesting that the attacker initiated the contact are absurd and beg the question: if that’s not punishment, what is? While none of us want to watch a match plagued by VAR stoppages, it is surprising that the UEFA control room has not urged the man in the middle to review the incident.
Neuer is a very lucky man and it remains to be seen how costly this mistake will be for the Gunners ahead of next week’s second leg at the Allianz Arena.
Jos Holland
In the Premier League we have become so used to soft penalties given by referees, where they can fall back on the support of VAR. It was actually nice to see a referee take control of the situation, especially in the final moments of the match.
At first glance it looked like Saka was taken down by Neuer and I was surprised it wasn’t given. However, after watching the replay, the referee made the right decision.
Neuer clearly moves his leg and Saka regrets that his back leg traps the goalkeeper and he goes down. The frustrations of the crowded Emirates Stadium are to be expected, but no one wants a match where VAR controls every aspect and changes decisions on the pitch.
Tom Coley
In the Premier League it would have been given as a penalty, but that does not mean that a wrong decision was made here. What a difficult decision this is.
Saka doesn’t necessarily initiate the contact, as he does take enough touch to get away from Neuer and just runs after it. But that deficit was a big focus for Ashley Young for Manchester United in 2012 (if you know, you know).
But what should he actually do with such speed? A dive would be extremely harsh to call as there was clear contact, but Neuer was essentially just holding his ground and not following the player after the ball disappeared. If the referee had given a penalty, it wouldn’t have been overturned, and that about sums it up.
Saka is unlucky, like Arsenal, and Neuer is lucky. But it could just as easily have been the other way around. Neuer plays the situation like the experienced professional he is and Saka is the younger one – albeit with mountains of games like him – at this level.
This is one where no matter which way the decision goes, it is the right decision. A real 50-50. It takes courage to blow up in the 94th minute of a match, but less so as 99% of the crowd are home fans. The referee didn’t bottle this up, he called it like he saw it and in this case it’s fair. The same cannot be said of Gabriel Magalhaes’ handball, but that is for another story.
Isaac Johnson
For me it’s clearly not a penalty, and credit goes to the referee for making the decision at full speed. Saka establishes contact with Neuer in a rather bizarre way.
Defenders were covering, but the winger could have beaten the advancing goalkeeper and taken a shot at a final goal, but instead decided to leave that chance in the referee’s hands. That’s the question Arsenal fans should be debating.
Admittedly, if a penalty decision had been made on the pitch, it is questionable whether it would have been overturned. But I believe the right decision prevailed – something that cannot be said due to the inexplicable non-decision on Gabriel’s handball penalty.
According to Thomas Tuchel’s claim in his post-match interview, the fact that the referee saw it but refused to make the innocuous but correct decision is catastrophic for his Champions League career if it were true. Arsenal fans may feel insulted, but so do Bayern supporters.
Amie Wilson
For me the right decision was made, although I understand why this is up for debate, especially at such a crucial moment in the match. One of them may be that if the referee gives the decision on the pitch, VAR may not have considered it an ‘obvious’ foul and overturned it.
But by the same token, it does not meet the ‘clear and obvious’ threshold that justifies advising the referee to impose the penalty.
For me, I don’t see what else Neuer can do to avoid contact, with Saka looking like he’s leaving his foot in there a bit. You see a movement from the Bayern goalkeeper, who is clearly trying to move aside, but he cannot make himself invisible.
At first glance it looks like Saka is playing for the penalty. Who knows if he would have gotten to the ball and shot on goal, but he seems to change direction slightly, away from the ball and towards Neuer.
I can see the argument for a penalty anywhere on the pitch, probably as a free kick. But I’m happy that the VAR thresholds are maintained and that the game doesn’t interfere with the game when it doesn’t have to.
Stephen Killen
It’s not a fine. Far too often we have seen decisions bought by the attacker at the expense of a helpless opponent. It’s definitely one to file under ‘you’ve seen them’.
There’s an extended like and although it’s rash of Manuel Neuer to get out, it’s not a penalty. While opinion is divided on the penalty, what has gone under the radar is how Bukayo could have beaten Saka Neuer – surely that would have been a certain goal?
After an exciting evening of Champions League football, it remains to be seen how much Arsenal will regret the penalty decision. They will travel to the Allianz Arena in the second leg, a venue where they traditionally struggle, but Tuesday night proved to be one overshadowed by a controversial decision and ultimately Arsenal got away with one of their own.