Arsenal fans claimed 'justice' after VAR intervened to award PSG a penalty in the Champions League semi-final second leg, only for the Gunners to be left on the brink of elimination moments later
21:34, 07 May 2025Updated 22:31, 07 May 2025
David Raya saves Vitinha's penalty
David Raya saved Vitinha's penalty
Arsenal fans claimed 'justice' after VAR intervened to award PSG a penalty in the Champions League semi-final second leg - only to suffer heartbreak moments later.
The Gunners headed to Paris knowing they had to beat PSG to reach the Champions League final, but found themselves trailing 1-0 at the night and 2-0 on aggregate at half-time after Fabian Ruiz's stunning strike.
And it threatened to get worse for Arsenal as VAR intervened to award a penalty for handball against Myles Lewis-Skelly. No one inside the ground appeared to spot the incident, but the prying eye of VAR did.
The penalty was awarded but David Raya came to rescue to save Vitinha's effort, seeing Arsenal fans laud the save as "justice has been done". The Spaniard dived low to his left and tipped the effort around the post.
Fellow Arsenal fans took to X to vent at the decision, with one saying: "Like the commentators said justice served. No one appealed for that handball so that pen tally was harsh. That was a terribly taken penalty from vitinha so, all in all, game on."
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However, rivals mocked Gunners for their response, as one argued: "Clearest handball you’ll ever see and you’ve got idiots on commentary saying “justice” when the penalty gets saved."
A second echoed: "Justice is done? How so? It was handball so penalty." While a third added: "How is it justice? It’s f****** handball."
However, Arsenal's joy was short lived as Achraf Hakimi's strike fired into the bottom corner to make the aggregate score 3-0 and looked to have buried the Gunners.
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But the chaotic few minutes continued as Bukayo Saka rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma to score and give Arsenal life in the tie after Leandro Trossard muscled Maqruinhos off the ball.
Saka could have really opened up the tie as he blazed an effort over from just yards out only minutes after his goal. An awkward flight of the ball saw the England star stab a foot at the ball but sent his shot miles over the bar.
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That was the chance to save the tie, but it wasn't taken. PSG now prepare to head to Munich and take on Inter Milan.