Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called it 鈥渦nacceptable鈥� and said it was a moment that changed the course of his team’s .
Meanwhile, Atletico coach Diego Simeone’s antics while referee Danny Makkelie studied the sideline monitor at the Metropolitano stadium came under scrutiny Wednesday.
In a white-hot atmosphere and the score locked at 1-1 in Madrid, the Dutch official opted to overturn a second-half penalty awarded to Arsenal when substitute Eberechi Eze went down under a challenge from David Hancko.
鈥淭he whole sequence tells the story. I mean it鈥檚 a clear contact,鈥� Arteta told TNT Sports. 鈥淎t this level it鈥檚 completely unacceptable.鈥�
The game ended 1-1 with the second leg taking place at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium next week.
Arteta said Makkelie had reviewed the penalty incident 13 times before deciding to overturn his decision. Soccer’s rules state decisions should not be changed unless there is a 鈥渃lear and obvious error.”
鈥淵ou make that decision, you cannot overturn that decision when you have to look at it 13 times,鈥� Arteta added.
UEFA said the penalty was ruled out because no foul had been committed, despite replays showing clear contact between Hancko and Eze.
TNT Sports panelists Steven Gerrard, Martin Keown and Steve McManaman also disagreed with Makkelie’s decision to overturn the penalty. But they also pointed to Simeone’s reaction on the sideline while the official reviewed the video.
鈥淎s the referee鈥檚 coming over, before he鈥檚 even looked at the screen, Simeone鈥檚 in his face, he鈥檚 waving his arms,鈥� said Gerrard, . 鈥淭hen he鈥檚 in his ear when he鈥檚 at the screen. It鈥檚 a performance and he鈥檚 the best at doing it.鈥�
McManaman, who played for Atletico city rival Real Madrid, said of Simeone: 鈥淗is performance was terrible and that鈥檚 why people don鈥檛 like the dark arts, don鈥檛 like Atletico Madrid.鈥�
Earlier in the game, Simeone and Atletico players complained about the penalty call that went against their team late in the first half. Viktor Gy枚keres put Arsenal ahead by converting a 44th-minute penalty kick. Juli谩n Alvarez equalized for Atletico 鈥� also from the penalty spot 鈥� in the 56th.
___
James Robson is at
___
AP soccer:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
