What happened? In the 78th minute, Atlético's David Hancko made slight contact with Arsenal's Eberechi Eze's foot, and referee Danny Makkelie immediately pointed to the spot. However, after consulting the video assistant referee, the Dutch official reversed the decision—a tricky call. "It's quite simple, it's a clear penalty. If it's a penalty, I don't know why you need to consult the VAR, why you need to watch it 13 times – that's not a clear mistake," Arteta told DAZN.
The overturned call quickly dominated post-match discourse in England, with the press describing it as a "robbery" and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard telling TNT Sports that referees must "have the courage to stand by their decisions."