Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta slammed the referee’s decision to overturn a penalty he had originally awarded to his side, denying them victory in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
After consultation with VAR, referee Danny Makkelie overturned the penalty he had awarded when Eberechi Eze appeared to step on his toe in the second half and the match ended 1-1.
Arteta argued there was clear contact and said the fact the referee had to watch the replay several times before overturning his decision was evidence it should have stood.
“What I am incredibly angry about is how on earth the penalty for Ebs is being overturned,” Arteta said. «If you have to watch it thirteen times… That’s a goal that could change the course of the season. This can’t happen.»
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Arteta said he accepted the penalty awarded to Atletico after the ball bounced off Ben White’s leg and onto his hand, even though it would not have been awarded in the Premier League. Julian Alvarez converted to equalize in the 56th minute.
“Just as we have to accept Ben White’s punishment, Ebs’s is a clear punishment,” he said.
Arteta said he was proud of the way his team weathered the raucous atmosphere in Madrid, even as he complained that Arsenal’s task next Tuesday would have been easier in the second leg if the penalty had stood.
“It’s all to play for in London,” he said.
Published on April 30, 2026
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