FC Bayern experienced a bitter evening in the semi-final second leg of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain. After going 1-0 down early on, a controversial handball incident in the first half caused a lot of trouble for the Munich side, with referee João Pinheiro coming under massive scrutiny
Munich suffered their next setback against PSG in the third minute, with the French side taking an early lead and leaving the Allianz Arena stunned
But it wasn’t just the result that caused frustration for the German record champions as the match progressed. One scene in particular in the 31st minute had fans, players and pundits on the edge of their seats
After a clearance by PSG midfielder Vitinha, the ball bounced onto the outstretched arm of his teammate João Neves in his own penalty area. Many Bayern supporters immediately demanded a penalty
However, referee João Pinheiro allowed play to continue and the VAR did not intervene – much to the incomprehension of many observers
Former referee Manuel Gräfe was particularly outspoken, telling BILD: „A clear handball penalty! Much clearer than the situation in the first leg.“
Gräfe criticized the PSG player’s arm position in particular: „He puts his arm over his shoulder and his arm goes into the flight path. It’s completely incomprehensible why the VAR doesn’t intervene,“ said the refereeing expert
Why Bayern still didn’t get a penalty
Despite the heated discussions, the refereeing team’s decision was apparently in line with the current rules of the International Football Association Board (IFAB)
According to the interpretation of the rules, it is generally not a punishable handball if a player is shot by a teammate from close range – even if the ball touches the arm or hand
The only exception is if the ball goes directly into the opponent’s goal or if a goal is scored immediately afterwards. In such cases, a direct free kick or handball would be awarded
This particularity was probably the reason why neither Pinheiro nor the video assistant intervened
The scene was nonetheless highly charged because PSG were awarded a penalty in the first leg, when the ball hit Bayern defender Alphonso Davies on the thigh and then on the arm
The different assessments are now once again causing discussions about the interpretation of the rules and the influence of the VAR in top Champions League matches
The scene remains particularly bitter for FC Bayern – because in a match that was already emotionally heated, the Munich side felt further disadvantaged by the decision.