Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, but the match was controversial with three penalties awarded.
Jamie Carragher was furious (Image: CBS Sports/Twitter)
Jamie Carragher was furious at Atletico Madrid’s penalty against Arsenal and called for changes to the Champions League rules. The Spanish side won a spot-kick in the first half at the Metropolitano on Wednesday night.
Ben White was accused of handling the ball and Gunners transfer target Julian Alvarez scored from 12 yards. This came after Arsenal won their own penalty after Victor Gokeres was brought down by David Hanko and scored.
Carragher gave his opinion on the home team’s spot-kick, but was perplexed by the award. The former Liverpool defender appeared on CBS Sports and said: “What should he do? He went down trying to block a shot and it gets me involved! To think that it decides the Champions League final…”
“I didn’t do that. It’s not right, it’s unfair. I just think it’s gone too far. Don’t get me wrong, as soon as I saw what happened I thought there would be a penalty. That’s how the Champions League works.”
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“But to be honest, if we go to Budapest and someone wins the Champions League with such a ridiculous handball, it will be a stain on the Champions League. The Champions League is the best competition in the world by a mile. It doesn’t come close to the World Cup, and no division in the country can come close to it. That’s the only thing that lets it down.”
“I just think it’s ridiculous. The best players in the world are competing for the biggest trophy you can win in club football. And at this level, that’s how games are decided. It’s not right. It’s unfair to the players. No one likes it.”
When I asked my pundit colleague Thierry Henry what Carragher was hoping for in future contests, he replied:
“The first thing that stops the two penalties we’ve seen the last two nights is if something hits another part of the body and then hits the arm, it’s not a penalty!”
Ben White’s handball gives Atletico Madrid a penalty (Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was understandably one of those who was furious when he heard the final whistle in Madrid. But instead he hit the decision to choke Arsenal’s second-half spot-kick.
Eberechi Eze was brought down, but the referee overturned the decision after a VAR review. Arteta said: “I went into the dressing room and talked to the players and I understood the second penalty and I was very disappointed and angry that it was overturned because it was against the rules and I don’t understand it. It changed the course of the draw and I’m very, very upset.”
Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will reignite their rivalry next week for the second semi-final leg at the Emirates Stadium. Before that, they host Fulham on Saturday night as they continue their bid for Premier League glory.
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