Follow the politics of Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona in today’s Champions League
Last night, as the final whistle blew in a hard-fought 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium, many of us used our smartphones to check social media.
Moments earlier, Arsenal striker Bukayo Saka had found himself in a potential equaliser substitution moment. With only Manuel Neuer on the verge of winning in the box, the Bayern Munich goalkeeper tripped him (or, according to some, got kicked in the front leg through Saka). ) and everyone looked at the referee, Glenn Nyberg. With moments to go in extra time, Arsenal’s hopes of arriving in Munich for the second leg with an advantage rested on the referee’s shoulders.
The decision to award a penalty left Rio Ferdinand, an expert at TNT Sports, the British Champions League broadcaster, “incredulous. “However, Arsenal legend Ian Wright later argued on X that he agreed with Nyberg’s decision, leading to a debate.
Good decision? ?
? @tntsports
– Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 9, 2024
It’s up to the referee to interpret it: some may have just given it and some just didn’t. Given its debatable nature, VAR will most likely never overturn it and, judging by the diversity of criticism from Arsenal enthusiasts and others, the Swedish referee’s opinion. at least justifiable resolution.
But as the post-match interviews leaked out, the Saka debate took a back seat. . .
There was another slightly detected penalty decision in real time before the game, one that Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said Nyberg had not had the “courage” to award in his team’s favour.
It happened in the 67th minute of the match, with Bayern leading 2-1. After the referee blew the whistle for the resumption of play following a goal kick, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made a short pass to defender Gabriel.
Gabriel picked up the ball with his hands and returned it into the box, not realizing that the game was already live.
Immediately after Gabriel dealt with the ball, Bayern forwards Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala turned to the referee and called for a penalty, pointing to each other’s arms to imply a handball. However, Nyberg temporarily dismissed his claims.
He then made a pass to the goalkeeper, after which the game continued as normal.
– Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 9, 2024
The handball rules used by UEFA state that it is considered handball if a player “deliberately touches the ball with his hand/arm, for example by moving his hand/arm towards the ball or touches the ball with his hand/arm while he has reached his abnormally larger body. “
UEFA rejected The Athletic’s comments.
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Since the match was in progress when Gabriel was given the ball back, the decision to award a penalty can be considered as transparent as any other for the referee. According to Tuchel, this is not a case where the referee’s interpretation of the rules is necessary. .
“I think the referee today didn’t have the courage to award a deserved penalty,” Tuchel said. “It’s a bit of a crazy and complicated scenario, but he admitted on the pitch that he had realised the scenario and that a quarter-final match is not enough for him to sanction a mistake by a child. He admitted that he is aware of the player’s mistake. It’s a little frustrating.
Bayern striker Thomas Müller echoed his coach’s opinion and questioned why a shot wasn’t conceded. “The referee clearly saw what happened, but he felt it was too stupid a mistake, too small to give a penalty,” he said. “I can perceive that in terms of the game, but it’s not for him to decide. “
The debate lies in his comments, with Tuchel admitting that it is a “crazy and complicated situation” and Müller acknowledging the “terms of the game” related to Nyberg not conceding a penalty.
Despite their frustration with the decision, Bayern will appeal to UEFA.
Under the IFAB Handball Act, there is no debate; It’s a 100 per cent penalty. The ball was live and Gabriel “deliberately touched the ball with his hand” inside the box. If football were a game that had to be followed to the letter without human interpretation, the referee would have awarded the penalty. without asking questions and there would have been little room for further discussion.
However, as Christina Unkel, FIFA’s head of matches and regulations analyst at CBS Sports, put it, there is a time and a position where “common sense” prevails.
“If you defend a penalty, with all due respect, you hate football,” Unkel said. “Here we want to use common sense and the (so-called) Bill 18. At no point has Bayern been detracted from in this scenario and, more importantly, it is simply a fair and valid mistake. There is no explanation whatsoever for the defender picking up the ball and placing it, other than the fact that he never heard the whistle on the pitch. First.
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There is no Law 18 in the IFAB Laws of the Game, but the advent says: “Referees will have to use common sense and apply the ‘spirit of the game’ when applying the Laws of the Game. Because of this, the use of common sense has almost an unwritten law, hence Unkel referring to Rule 18. Gabriel is not under pressure from Musiala or Kane, both of whom are located outside the penalty area, and the Brazilian international has time and space to locate a pass. He doesn’t advance with his pass back to Raya (in fact, he returns the ball to the six-yard line and passes square), a pass he can accomplish without problems. have done before touching the ball.
Although former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said Nyberg was “overwhelmed” by not conceding this or the foul on Saka as a penalty, it would have been a shame if a fair mistake, made on anyone’s merit or demerit, had had such a mistake. A Champions League quarter-final.
It’s Nyberg’s first Champions League knockout game, having overseen six games at an organisational level since his Champions League debut last season. Among them, Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium in October.
The 35-year-old made his domestic debut ten years ago in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s top flight. Since then, he has refereed 225 top-flight matches, including IFK’s 2-1 win over Malmö in the Swedish Cup final. His career also took him to the foreign stage, where he was appointed referee of the 2023 U-20 World Cup final, when Uruguay lifted the trophy for the first time.
“We know that as referees, each and every decision we make can leave someone unsatisfied and they will not be applauded for each and every one of them. It’s just paintings and you have to be mentally strong,” he told UEFA’s website last year. “I like to communicate with the players to tell them how I see things. Communication can also be done in your target language. I prefer to be calm with the players and if I’m calm I hope they calm me down again.
Last night he showed his composure with a bit of luck saving two possible penalties.
An adjustment thanks to exciting football, not through debatable refereeing decisions.
Isn’t that what we want?
(Top photo: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)