[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"football-site-config":3,"world-cup-status-en":27,"news-detail-neves-handball-the-obscure-law-that-denied-bayern-a-crucial-penalty":43,"news-related-neves-handball-the-obscure-law-that-denied-bayern-a-crucial-penalty-en":78,"news-related-match-neves-handball-the-obscure-law-that-denied-bayern-a-crucial-penalty-en":206},{"adSlots":4,"affiliateMode":5,"brandName":6,"contentStrategy":7,"currency":8,"friendLinks":9,"homepageLayoutKey":10,"leagueFocus":11,"locale":12,"planVisibility":13,"seoDescription":14,"seoTitleTemplate":15,"siteCode":10,"siteName":6,"siteType":10,"subscriptionMode":5,"timezone":16,"id":17,"tenantID":18,"primaryDomain":19,"countryCode":20,"logoUrl":21,"faviconUrl":21,"theme":22,"seoKeywords":24,"status":25,"ads":4,"focusLeagues":26,"affiliatePolicies":26},[],"shared","Football Prediction Platform","scores_predictions","USD",[],"main",[],"en-US",[],"Football fixtures, results, free predictions, subscriptions, and clearly labeled partner links.","{page} | Football Prediction Platform","America\u002FNew_York",323900000000000000,1,"football.easytestdev.online","US","",{"primaryColor":23},"#1677ff","football predictions, football fixtures, football results","active",null,{"active":28,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"leagueImagePath":31,"seasonId":32,"seasonName":33,"startingAt":34,"endingAt":35,"daysToStart":36,"daysToEnd":37,"phase":38,"includeQualifying":28,"hostCities":39},true,"326135624916537344","World Cup","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fleagues\u002F1.png","326255613308833792","2026\u002F2027","2026-06-11","2026-06-28",5,22,"upcoming",[40,41,42],"Mexico City","Monterrey","Zapopan",{"article":44},{"awayTeamId":45,"awayTeamName":46,"body":47,"category":48,"excerpt":49,"homeTeamId":50,"homeTeamName":51,"id":52,"leagueId":53,"leagueName":54,"matchId":55,"matchName":56,"publishedAt":57,"slug":58,"sourceName":59,"sourceURL":60,"teamId":61,"teamName":62,"teamIds":63,"teamNames":70,"title":77},"326257546220277760","Chelsea","Bayern Munich's Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris St-Germain was overshadowed by a contentious handball decision that left players, staff, and fans at the Allianz Arena in disbelief. The incident, occurring around the 30th minute, saw PSG midfielder Vitinha blast a clearance that struck his teammate Joao Neves on the arm inside the penalty area. Despite fervent protests from the Bayern squad, referee Joao Pedro Silva Pinheiro waved play on, a decision upheld by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).\n\nThe denial of a spot-kick was particularly stinging for Bayern, who were trailing 1-0 on the night and facing a 6-4 aggregate deficit against the reigning champions. The moment represented a potential lifeline, a chance to halve the deficit and inject fresh momentum into their comeback attempt. Instead, the game continued with PSG's lead intact, a lead they would protect to advance to the final.\n\nThe rationale behind the referee's decision hinges on a specific, often overlooked clause within the International Football Association Board's (IFAB) laws of the game. According to these rules, a handball offense is not committed if a player is struck on the arm by a ball that has been deliberately played by a teammate. The law is designed to account for situations where a player cannot reasonably anticipate the ball's trajectory after a teammate's action, even if their arm is in an unnatural position.\n\nFootball issues correspondent Dale Johnson explained the interpretation, noting that the exemption covers scenarios where the ball is unexpectedly propelled at a player by a colleague. In this case, Vitinha's powerful clearance from close range left Neves with virtually no time to react or adjust his body. Johnson emphasized that while the law could be overridden by a clear, deliberate handball, the context of this specific play—a sudden, forceful deflection—made a penalty award unlikely under the current guidelines.\n\nThe decision did not sit well with many observers, including former professionals. Ex-Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock admitted the ruling had caught him and many others off guard, highlighting the general confusion surrounding handball interpretations in the Champions League this season. \"We're almost wondering, is it going to be given, is it not going to be given? We don't know where we're at this season,\" Warnock remarked, pointing to a broader inconsistency in officiating.\n\nHis criticism was echoed more bluntly by former striker Chris Sutton, who called the rule \"a really stupid one.\" Sutton questioned the logic, suggesting the exemption could theoretically allow a player to intentionally punch a ball struck at them by a teammate without consequence, a scenario that strikes many as contrary to the spirit of the game. His frustration underscores a growing sentiment that the handball law, despite attempts at clarification, remains a source of significant controversy.\n\nThis was not the only refereeing flashpoint that angered Bayern during the match. Earlier, PSG left-back Nuno Mendes, already on a yellow card for a foul on Michael Olise, handled a pass from Bayern's Konrad Laimer. The referee chose not to issue a second booking, judging that the ball had first struck Laimer's arm. This sequence of decisions compounded Bayern's frustration, painting a picture of a night where key calls consistently went against them.\n\nThe implications of such decisions extend beyond a single match. For Bayern, the denial of a clear penalty in a high-stakes semi-final represents a missed opportunity that could have altered the entire trajectory of the tie. For PSG, it allowed them to maintain their aggregate cushion without facing the psychological and tactical pressure of defending a penalty. On a broader scale, incidents like this fuel the ongoing debate about the need for further refinement of the handball rule to ensure greater consistency and fairness across all competitions.\n\nAs the dust settles on the semi-final, the Neves handball will be remembered as a pivotal moment defined by a technicality. It serves as a stark reminder of how the intricate details of football's laws can have monumental consequences on the sport's biggest stages, leaving teams and fans to grapple with outcomes that feel both legally sound and intuitively wrong. Based on reporting from BBC Sport.","news","Bayern Munich were denied a penalty in their Champions League semi-final against PSG due to a little-known handball exemption. The incident sparked debate over the rule's clarity and its impact on the match.","326257545918287872","Liverpool","327573023844470785","326135627642834944","League","327052454552145920","Liverpool vs Chelsea","2026-05-06T20:16:04Z","neves-handball-the-obscure-law-that-denied-bayern-a-crucial-penalty","BBC Sport","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fsport\u002Farticles\u002Fc4gvmmg0yr8o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","326257534170042368","Bayern München",[61,50,45,64,65,66,67,68,69],"326257808158756864","326257604382691328","326222707169431552","326222713142120448","326255038584328192","326255039884562432",[62,51,46,71,72,73,74,75,76],"Blackburn","GOES","Anderlecht","Canada","Legia Warszawa","Vardar Skopje","Neves Handball: The Obscure Law That Denied Bayern a Crucial Penalty",[79,115,143,174],{"awayTeamId":80,"awayTeamName":81,"body":-1,"category":48,"excerpt":82,"homeTeamId":83,"homeTeamName":84,"id":85,"leagueId":53,"leagueName":54,"matchId":86,"matchName":87,"publishedAt":88,"slug":89,"sourceName":90,"sourceURL":91,"teamId":92,"teamName":93,"teamIds":94,"teamNames":104,"title":114},"326222712592666624","Congo DR","Athletic Club plans 5.2M euro expansion to add 2,400 seats at San Mamés over 8 months, with no match disruptions, and may stack away games during works.","326222712143876096","Portugal","337970004265799681","327115058687512576","Portugal vs Congo DR","2026-06-04T12:51:50Z","athletic-club-to-add-2-400-seats-may-stack-away-games","Marca","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.marca.com\u002Ffutbol\u002Fathletic\u002F2026\u002F06\u002F04\u002Fobras-dotar-san-mames-2-400-nuevos-asientos-supondran-desembolso-5-2-millones-euros.html","326257565275000832","Athletic Club",[92,83,80,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,66],"326257539962376192","326255038114566144","326255039809064960","326255040400461824","326255041188990976","326257565195309056","326257565535047680","326257565702819840","326257745512632320",[93,84,81,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113,73],"Como","Santa Clara","Dynamo Kyiv","FC Santa Coloma","FK Sarajevo","Barcelona","Real Madrid","Real Sociedad","Members","Athletic Club to Add 2,400 Seats, May Stack Away Games",{"awayTeamId":50,"awayTeamName":51,"body":-1,"category":48,"excerpt":116,"homeTeamId":117,"homeTeamName":118,"id":119,"leagueId":53,"leagueName":54,"matchId":120,"matchName":121,"publishedAt":122,"slug":123,"sourceName":124,"sourceURL":125,"teamId":45,"teamName":46,"teamIds":126,"teamNames":134,"title":142},"McCabe's Arsenal to Chelsea move spotlights WSL rival transfers as common, driven by scarce elite clubs and players' need to maximize earnings in short careers.","326257545712766976","Manchester United","337883373844303873","326324144780087296","Manchester United vs Liverpool","2026-06-04T07:00:29Z","katie-mccabe-to-chelsea-why-wsl-rival-transfers-happen","The Guardian","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Ffootball\u002F2026\u002Fjun\u002F04\u002Fkatie-mccabe-chelsea-arsenal-wsl-transfer-move-controversy-abuse",[45,117,50,127,128,100,129,130,131,132,133],"326257545968619520","326257546258026496","326222711682502656","326257546052505600","326257535919067136","326257546094448640","326257812931874816",[46,118,51,135,136,110,137,138,139,140,141],"Arsenal","Manchester City","England","Everton","Lyon","Tottenham","Stamford","Katie McCabe to Chelsea: Why WSL Rival Transfers Happen",{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":48,"excerpt":144,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":145,"leagueId":53,"leagueName":54,"matchId":146,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":147,"slug":148,"sourceName":149,"sourceURL":150,"teamId":101,"teamName":111,"teamIds":151,"teamNames":162,"title":173},"Florentino Pérez pledges to sign Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté if re-elected Real Madrid president, with more defensive arrivals promised to revamp the backline.","337754542600884225","0","2026-06-03T22:24:58Z","konate-to-real-madrid-what-perez-s-election-promise-means","L'Equipe","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FActualites\u002FFlorentino-perez-annonce-qu-ibrahima-konate-jouera-au-real-madrid-la-saison-prochaine-s-il-est-reelu-a-la-presidence-du-club\u002F1681616#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[101,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,50,66,67,160,161],"326257537865224192","326257556060114944","326257600507154432","326257610309242880","326257618995646464","326257621004718080","326257621155713024","326257534526558208","326222767416414208","326257546392244224",[111,163,164,165,166,167,168,169,170,51,73,74,171,172],"Estoril","Estudiantes L.P.","Deportivo Pasto","Club Queretaro","CA Estudiantes","Esteghlal FC","Esteghlal Khuzestan","RB Leipzig","Lesotho","Nottingham Forest","Konaté to Real Madrid: What Pérez’s Election Promise Means",{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":48,"excerpt":175,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":176,"leagueId":53,"leagueName":54,"matchId":146,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":177,"slug":178,"sourceName":179,"sourceURL":180,"teamId":181,"teamName":182,"teamIds":183,"teamNames":194,"title":205},"Patrick Wimmer leaves relegated VfL Wolfsburg for TSG Hoffenheim, swapping the Bundesliga drop for Europa League football after playoff disappointment.","337668028407746561","2026-06-03T16:52:19Z","why-patrick-wimmer-is-at-hoffenheim-relegation-to-europe","Kicker","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.kicker.de\u002Feuropa-league-nach-abstieg-wimmer-landet-in-hoffenheim-1224518\u002Fartikel#omrss","326257534237151232","VfL Wolfsburg",[181,184,185,186,187,188,189,190,191,66,67,192,193],"326257534362980352","326222707618222080","326257613643714560","326257661421031424","326257672598851584","326257761564233728","326257808217477120","326257801355595776","326257545754710016","326257554411753472",[182,195,196,197,198,199,200,201,202,73,74,203,204],"1899 Hoffenheim","Dender","Hassania Agadir","Denmark","Derry City","Güzide Gebzespor","Derby","Arminia Bielefeld","Newcastle","Newcastle Jets","Why Patrick Wimmer is at Hoffenheim: Relegation to Europe",{"awayScore":18,"awayTeam":207,"description":211,"homeScore":18,"homeTeam":212,"id":55,"kickoffAt":216,"length":217,"leagueId":218,"leagueName":219,"leagueSlug":220,"probabilityLabel":219,"slug":221,"status":222,"tvStations":223,"venueCity":21,"venueName":21},{"code":208,"id":45,"imagePath":209,"name":46,"slug":210},"AWY","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fteams\u002F49.png","chelsea","Liverpool must win to keep their fading Premier League title hopes alive against a Chelsea side battling for a crucial Champions League spot. A victory for the visitors could significantly tighten the top-four race while delivering a fatal blow to Liverpool's championship challenge.",{"code":213,"id":50,"imagePath":214,"name":51,"slug":215},"HME","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fteams\u002F40.png","liverpool","2026-05-09T11:30:00Z",90,"326135624635518976","Premier League","gb-premier-league","liverpool-vs-chelsea-2026-05-09","finished",[]]