In a surprising twist, a soccer official was removed from a Champions League match on Wednesday after being embroiled in a controversial decision. The decision in question occurred during a game between Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle. The call involved a stoppage-time penalty for handball and contradicted UEFA’s own advice to referees. The VAR specialist from Poland, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, has been removed from the upcoming Real Sociedad-Salzburg game and has been replaced by a German official.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé scored a crucial equalizing goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time after a ball struck Newcastle defender Tino Livramento and was deflected off his arm. This led to a penalty being awarded by the referee following a VAR review.
It’s worth noting that last season’s Champions League final referee, Szymon Marciniak, was involved in handling the disputed decision. Marciniak initially allowed play to continue before ultimately awarding the penalty upon advice from his video assistant. Interestingly, a UEFA panel stated in April that no handball offense should be called on a player if the ball is previously deflected from his own body, particularly when the ball does not go towards the goal.
This advice was detailed in a statement from UEFA and emphasized the need for more clarity on the handball rule. It urged for a more consistent approach that is aligned with the game’s true nature. Despite this, UEFA has declined to comment on the matter, in line with its policy not to discuss field of play decisions.
The penalty decision in the PSG game directly affected the standings in Group F, with the Parisian team maintaining a two-point lead over Newcastle for the second qualifying place in the group. The Newcastle manager expressed his frustration at the decision and emphasized that there’s nothing they can do about it now.
The aftermath of this decision means that Newcastle must win their upcoming home game to have a chance of advancing in the tournament. However, the tide of the game has far-reaching implications, as it not only puts Paris Saint-Germain two points ahead but also paves the way for a potential Europa League route for Newcastle.
In the midst of the ongoing controversy surrounding the decision, it’s clear that the implications of the call will be felt throughout the tournament. For the latest updates on soccer, visit https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer.
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