Controversy erupted during the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain when a potential handball incident occurred inside the PSG penalty area. The match, which PSG was leading 1-0 at the time, saw the ball strike the arm of midfielder Joao Neves following a close-range shot from his teammate Vitinha.
Many observers questioned why referee Joao Pedro Pinheiro did not point to the penalty spot. However, a detailed analysis from the specialized refereeing account Archivo VAR on the social media platform X has provided a clear explanation, confirming the official made the correct call.
According to the analysis, the incident does not meet the criteria for a punishable handball offense under the current Laws of the Game. The key factors cited were the nature of the ball's trajectory and Neves' body position at the moment of contact.
The report states that Vitinha's action was a controlled clearance, and the ball subsequently deflected into Neves' arm while the player was in the process of attempting to protect himself. This natural, defensive motion is a critical consideration for match officials when adjudicating such situations.
The experts emphasized that regardless of whether Neves' arm was extended, this specific type of contact is not considered a deliberate act of making the body unnaturally bigger to block the ball's path. Therefore, it falls outside the parameters for a penalty kick.
This match served as the second leg of the semi-final tie. The first encounter between the two European giants had been a thrilling, high-scoring affair that concluded with a 5-4 victory for Paris Saint-Germain.
Both teams had navigated challenging quarter-final matchups to reach this stage. PSG advanced by defeating Liverpool with an aggregate score of 4-0. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich secured their semi-final berth by overcoming Real Madrid with a 6-4 aggregate victory.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.