Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has expressed disbelief and frustration on a controversial non-penalty decision during his side’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against Arsenal, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Tuchel was left frustrated after referee Glenn Nyberg opted not to award a spot-kick to Bayern Munich following an obvious handball incident involving Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães.
The incident occurred midway through the second half, with the German champions leading 2-1 when Gabriel inexplicably picked up the ball inside his own box after the referee had blown his whistle.
Thomas Tuchel lambasted the referee’s decision, claiming it was a clear-cut penalty situation.
Despite Nyberg’s explanation on the field that it was a “kid’s mistake” and therefore not worthy of a penalty in a quarter-final match, Tuchel and his team were left feeling aggrieved.
In his post-match press conference, Thomas Tuchel expressed his frustration, emphasizing that the referee’s justification for not awarding the penalty was unacceptable.
The former Chelsea boss argued that such a decision undermined the integrity of the game, as it suggested subjective judgments based on the age of the player committing the error.
He said: “I felt like a lot of little decisions went against us. The referee made a huge mistake in not giving a penalty.
“I know it’s a crazy situation, but they put the ball down, he [the referee] whistles, he [the goalkeeper] gives the ball to the defender [Gabriel], who then takes the ball in his hands.
“What makes us really angry was the explanation given on the field. He told our players that it’s a kid’s mistake and he would not give a penalty like this in a quarter-final.”
Thomas Tuchel tags referee’s explanation not to hand Bayern Munich penalty “horrible”
The German tactician additionally expressed that he felt infuriated by the “horrible explanation”.
Tuchel said: “This is a horrible, horrible explanation because that means he is now judging handballs, whether it’s a kid’s or adult’s mistake.
“We feel angry because it’s a huge decision against us.”
Thomas Tuchel’s sentiments were echoed by pundits Rio Ferdinand and Martin Keown, who both criticized the referee’s handling of the situation.
Ferdinand and Keown were unanimous in their belief that the incident warranted a penalty, with Ferdinand describing it as even more egregious than the earlier penalty shout involving Bukayo Saka.
The former Manchester United defender questioned how the referee could overlook such a blatant infringement and voiced his disbelief at the decision.
Keown, while acknowledging the referee’s overall performance, criticized his failure to correctly adjudicate key moments in the match.
The controversy surrounding the non-penalty call overshadowed what was an intense and closely contested encounter between two European heavyweights.
Despite the Gunners’ dominance for much of the game, Bayern Munich went ahead on the run of play before the North London team managed to salvage a draw with Leandro Trossard’s equalizer following goals from Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane.
As both teams head into the second leg, the contentious decision is likely to linger in the minds of players and fans alike, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the tie.
