Club Brugge handed 'disgraceful' Champions League win over Atalanta after 'softest penalty in history'

Club Brugge were awarded the 'softest penalty in history' against Atalanta in the Champions League as Gian Piero Gasperini fumed over the 'disgraceful' decision.

Brugge beat Atalanta 2-1 in their first-leg Champions League play-off tie on Wednesday.

They secured an advantage ahead of next Tuesday's second-leg.

But the manner of the victory angered fans on social media as the Belgium side were awarded the 'softest penalty in history'.

With the game level at 1-1, Brugge's Gustaf Nilsson and Atalanta's Isak Hien duelled for a loose ball.

Nilsson crumbled to the deck after the slightest of touches from Hien, who got to the ball first.

Match referee Halil Umut Meler inexplicably pointed to the spot to the dismay of Atalanta, with Hien and two of his teammates protesting the decision. They were all booked for their remonstrations.

Nilsson got up to win the fixture by converting the penalty, sending Rui Patrício the wrong way.

"That is absolutely ridiculous" 😳

Is this the worst refereeing decision of the season? 🤯

🎙️ @ReshminTV | 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/OOYEHpIKoq

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 12, 2025

Needless to say, fans couldn't believe Meler's decision to award Brugge a penalty against Atalanta.

One X user fumed: "I'm done with Champions League and UEFA competition going forward. Why would I invest my time when it's entirely scripted."

A second wrote: "If UEFA don't come out and apologise for this and kick this referee out of any UEFA competition going forward, I'm never watching another game that they put on."

A third added: "An atrocious decision. Hope Atalanta rip them to pieces in the return leg."

A fourth said: "That is an absolute disgrace. At such an important moment in the game as well. The standard of officiating everywhere right now is on the floor."

Another commented: "That’s an absolute disgrace. If I was Atalanta I’d complain to UEFA or someone cause that’s a piss take."

Speaking after the match, Gasperini hit out at the penalty decision and claimed 'football is becoming a completely different sport'.

"Evidently we are contaminating Europe as well, but the real tragedy is football is being contaminated," he told Sky Sport Italia via Football Italia.

"Listening to players and coaches, we all have a completely different idea of what represents a foul. The tragedy is that there everyone dives now to steal something, get a player booked or sneak a penalty.

"Football is now going in a direction that has nothing whatsoever to do with the sport. We have to accept this call, but I honestly no longer even understand the rules now and I certainly don’t like it."