In the UEFA Champions League semi-final stage, Atletico Madrid hosted Arsenal. The intense and tactically rich encounter ended in a 1-1 draw. However, post-match discussions centered primarily around officiating decisions.
The Gunners' head coach, Mikel Arteta, highlighted several controversial episodes during the post-match press conference. In his view, a clear penalty should have been awarded in favor of his team.
“There was a clear penalty on Eze. I don’t understand why VAR called the referee and overturned this decision. The first two penalties were correctly awarded, but this situation was similar,” Arteta said.
The coach noted that while such episodes might not always be assessed as penalties in the English Premier League, in the Champions League, such situations often result in a penalty. In this regard, he openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee's decision.
At the same time, Arteta also took a critical approach to his team's performance. He stated he was not satisfied with the actions at the start of the second half, but noted that Arsenal played much better in the final part of the match.
Now, all the intrigue moves to the return match. The second leg will take place on the night of May 5 to May 6 at the Emirates Stadium in London. This game will decide the fate of the ticket to the final.
In short, although the first match ended level, the battle is far from over. Arteta's objections may further increase the psychological pressure ahead of the return leg.
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