The wild aftermath of the Champions League – the Swedish referee’s two tough decisions divide opinions | Sport

Real Madrid-Manchester City and Arsenal-Bayern Munich played out draws as the Champions League quarter-finals began. Were both Arsenal and Bayern denied a penalty?

The quarter-finals of the Football Champions League got off to a wild start on Tuesday. No less than ten hits were seen in two matches.

Real Madrid hosted Manchester City in a match that ended in a 3-3 draw. Meanwhile, in London, Arsenal and Bayern Munich played 2–2. So the decisions in these pairs remained in the second semi-finals, which will be played on 17.4. in Munich and Manchester.

Perhaps the biggest talking point from Tuesday’s matches was the Swedish referee by Glenn Nyberg decisions. Both Arsenal and Bayern strongly felt that the team missed a penalty kick in the match. Nyberg, 35, has been a Fifa referee since 2016.

Penalty kick for Bayern?

First, Bayern demanded a penalty in the 67th minute of the game, when the Germans still led 2–1. Arsenal’s goalkeeper in the situation David Raya a goal kick was given by a defender next to him To Gabriel. The Brazilian pair did not continue playing directly, but took the ball in their hands, repositioned it as if for a goal kick, and then passed to Raya.

In the opinion of the Bayern players, the situation was a clear mistake. The head coach of the team Thomas Tuchel was hot about the situation, and especially about Nyberg’s explanation, at the press conference of the match.

Tuchel said he was very frustrated and claimed that the referee did not have the courage to give a penalty in a “slightly crazy and awkward situation”.

– What makes us really angry was the judge’s explanation. He told our players that it was a kid’s mistake and he won’t give a damn about that in the quarterfinals.

– Horrible, horrible explanation. It means that he appreciates the sleight of hand. A child’s mistake, an adult’s mistake or what?

Gabriel took the ball in his hands because he didn’t realize that the referee had already blown the whistle to start the game. This is also what Tuchel said the judge said.

For example, an expert from the CBS channel Christina Unkel considered the judge’s decision absolutely correct. In his opinion, the referee just interpreted the situation using common sense, when Gabriel did not realize that the game had been whistled to start.

– If you say this is tough, with all due respect, you hate football. In such a situation, you have to use common sense. In the situation, no advantage was taken from Bayern. Above all, it was an honest mistake, because it makes no sense for a defender to take the ball in his hand if he had heard the whistle, Unkel charged.

Penalty for Arsenal?

In extra time of the match, Arsenal demanded a penalty. Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer dropped Arsenal’s star striker Bukayo Sakan. TNT Sports experts Rio Ferdinand and Martin Keown were mad when the situation didn’t get worse even with a VAR review.

– I walk here in disbelief with my hands on my head, ex-Manchester United defender Ferdinand described from the stadium.

Ferdinand said he was convinced that Arsenal should have been given a penalty. However, he added that he understands Tuchel’s frustration, because in his opinion, Bayern’s penalty kick was even more obvious.

Keown, who has an Arsenal background, claimed that if there had been ten top referees in the stadium, nine would have judged Saka’s situation more harshly.

BBC experts, ex-Arsenal centre-back Matthew Upson and former City player Michael Brown in turn, cheered the judge’s decision under heavy pressure. In their opinion, Saka applied and caused the contact, while Neuer had time to brake before the contact.

Premier League side Mikel Arteta piloted by Arsenal continues to lead the league with equal points with Liverpool, Manchester City is lurking a point away with seven rounds of matches remaining.

The frustrations of Bayern and Tuchel are understandable. The team has lost their last two matches in the Bundesliga, most recently against Heidenheim, and the championship has gone to Leverkusen. Bayern’s 11-season championship streak ends rudely.