Alan Shearer branded the decision to give PSG a penalty in their 5-4 thriller against Bayern Munich ‘nonsense’.
In a hugely controversial call, the referee Sandro Schaerer was told to go to the pitch-side monitor to review an incident.
The ball had hit Alphonso Davies‘ arm after bouncing up from his leg when he blocked Ousmane Dembele‘s cross, but Schaerer gave a spot kick even after watching multiple slow motion replays.
Bayern’s players were in disbelief at the decision, with Joshua Kimmich in particular gesturing that it clearly came off Davies’ groin first.
On Amazon Prime‘s coverage, guest pundit Mark Clattenburg felt the official made the wrong decision and Shearer was also bullish in his assessment.
He said: ‘Once I see that deflection on his arm, then that for me, shouldn’t be a penalty. I don’t agree with that, I really don’t agree with it.
A penalty was given for this incident when the ball bounced up onto Alphonso Davies’ arm
‘Once it comes off his leg onto his arm, then for me, that’s a different story.
‘If it hits his arm, okay, I might accept. But once it comes off a different part of his body and onto his arm, what’s he meant to do?
‘I think the handballs are nonsense. I think they’ve tied themselves up in knots over the years trying to get somewhere, which is fair. And I don’t think that is, but there you go.’
Wayne Rooney agreed, adding: ‘I don’t think it’s a penalty. His hands are behind his back and moves out when the cross comes in but it comes off his right thigh and then on to his arm.
‘Maybe it’s a bit different in Europe, I don’t know, but not a pen for me.’
And Daniel Sturridge concurred with his punditry colleagues for the night, but suggested why the referee might have given it: ‘I think it’s the nature of how it hits his hand because his arms are behind his back so it seems as if it’s a reaction to the ball hitting his hand.’
Glenn Hoddle went even further on X, saying: ‘I am fuming what a game spoilt by a diabolical decision!!
‘These refs are making a mockery of our game. It’s disgraceful. Never ever a pen.’
Alan Shearer on punditry duty described the decision to give the penalty as ‘nonsense’
The Bayern Munich players were in disbelief after the referee Sandro Schaerer gave a spot kick
Ousmane Dembele scored the penalty to make it 3-2 to PSG before half-time and it looked as though the tie might be over with a rapid onslaught after the break.
The hosts extended their lead to 5-2 through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Dembele again.
But Bayern fought back sensationally through Dayot Upamecano and Luis Diaz to ensure they only trail by a goal ahead of the return leg in Munich.
After the game, Bayern manager Vincent Kompany spoke to Amazon Prime, reflecting: ‘It was different for me to watch, but I would have preferred to be on the pitch, going with the emotion of the game and trying to help. The staff did fantastic to prepare the team.
‘We suffered but we were dangerous. Five goals away from home in the Champions League normally means you’re out but the chances we had, made us believe.
‘If you’ve got nothing at the game at 5-2 then it’s hard to make a case to turn it around but being as dangerous as we were then I feel like it’s about getting your head back in the game and take our chances.
‘I’ve seen a lot of good defending today but the game is such fine margins, you either go full into the battles, or retreat fully. The in between doesn’t work against that level of players.
‘We’re at home with 75,000 people in the stadium, I want more. We want that weight to be there and then the Allianz Arena is a place where anything can happen.’
