Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports
Topics: Real Madrid, Arsenal, Declan Rice, Kylian Mbappe
Chris Nee
UEFA has clarified the reason why a penalty originally given for a foul on Kylian Mbappe was overturned after a long and confused VAR review.
Real Madrid were chasing down a 3-0 deficit from the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal when French referee Francois Letexier pointed to the penalty spot for the second time.
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka had already seen his attempted Panenka penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois when Letexier gave Real Madrid a spot kick for a foul on Mbappe by Declan Rice, who was deemed to have pulled the striker back in the box.
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Rice, who scored two of the Gunners' three goals in the first leg, endured a tense six-minute wait as the decision went to review.
Having spent some of that time analysing the incident itself, the VAR team also turned their attentions to the possibility that Mbappe was marginally offside when the ball was flicked on in his direction.
Indeed, television viewers might have noticed that the chyron on the screen that announced that the decision had been overturned confirmed offside as the reason for the no-penalty outcome.
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However, further clarification from UEFA during the first half at the Bernabeu established the real reason for the overturned penalty after Letexier reviewed his original decision on a pitchside monitor.
Europe's governing body quickly released a statement to media confirming that the final decision was that there was no foul on Mbappe by Rice.
The Arsenal midfielder was originally booked for a foul, a sanction that would have ruled him out of the first leg of the semi-final should Arsenal make it through.
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By overturning the penalty decision, Letexier also wiped out Rice's yellow card to reinstate his availability to face PSG.
The Gunners' penalty taken by England winger Saka and saved by Courtois was also the result of an overturned decision.
On that occasion, Letexier had not seen the incident and awarded the spot kick after an on-field review was recommended.