UCL: Keown slams ref for overruling penalty on Eze as Arsenal draw at Atletico
Makkelie Under Fire for Penalty Decision in Champions League Draw
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown criticized referee Danny Makkelie for his decision to overturn a penalty during the UEFA Champions League match on Wednesday, in which Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid.
Initially, Makkelie signaled for a penalty following a foul, but after consulting VAR and reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, he reversed his call.
Speaking on the BBC’s “Final Score,” Keown expressed his disbelief regarding the VAR intervention. “I simply do not think it was a clear and obvious mistake that needed to be overturned,” he stated. “That is not what we wanted VAR for, that is not why it was brought in.”
Keown further argued that the referee should have been allowed to maintain his original decision. “The referee should not have even been made to go to the screen,” he added. He suggested that Makkelie was influenced by the presence of Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone on the sidelines, stating, “I think the referee has buckled under pressure. There is definite contact and it is clumsy from Hancko.”
The match saw Viktor Gyokeres convert a penalty before halftime, which was later equalized by Julian Alvarez just 12 minutes into the second half.
