Bayern Munich raged over a handball decision during their Champions League semi-final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, but a little-known rule has since explained why such a baffling call was made. At that stage, Vincent Kompany’s side were a goal down on the night and 6-4 down on aggregate, making the non-award of a penalty feel like a crushing blow before the break.
Replays of the incident show Joao Neves’s arm stretched out to its full extent as the ball clearly struck his hand. Having already seen a handball decision go against them just minutes earlier - though correctly ruled, as the ball had come off an opponent’s chest and shoulder - several players and staff were fired up and could hardly believe another call had gone against them.
Despite feeling hard done by, an explanation has now emerged for why Neves was not punished. The reigning champions will now head to Budapest at the end of the month to face Arsenal in the final, following the Gunners’ 2-1 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid the night before.
Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and teammates talk to referee Sandro Scharer after a penalty is awarded to Paris St Germain Related
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Harry Kane referee
With the ball inside the PSG penalty area, Vitinha cleared his lines and sent the ball high into the air. Only his teammate, Neves, was directly in its path and contorted his body in an unorthodox attempt to get out of the way. While there is no doubt that he handles the ball, IFAB rules state (See the incident and rule below):
"A handball offence is not committed when a player is hit on the hand/arm by the ball which has been played by a teammate (unless the ball goes directly into the opponent's goal or the player scores immediately afterwards, in which case a direct free-kick is awarded to the other team.)"
The handball rule has come under heavy scrutiny during this season's Champions League semi-finals, with the low threshold already seeing PSG win a soft penalty in the first leg. But, on this occasion, the referees followed the rules.
PSG Looking to Retain Maiden Title vs Arsenal
luis enrique psg champions league
Bayern will feel sorely disappointed that they couldn't use their home advantage to make it to the final, especially seeing as they have the best front-three in world football with Harry Kane spearheading an attack also locked and loaded with Luis Diaz and Michael Olise. But that should take nothing away from PSG's dominance over the last two seasons.
Luis Enrique and Co. will be looking to retain their elusive first-ever title from last campaign, and a tie against Arsenal will provide them with something very different to think about, with Mikel Arteta's side likely to use dark arts to their favour as opposed to a total football, gung-ho style like their semi-final opponents.