The clash between PSG and Bayern Munich kept all its promises with a totally stunning scenario and nine goals scored in a semi-final first leg that has already become legendary. Paris ended up winning after a wild match, punctuated by constant turnarounds and very high-level individual exploits. But beyond the pure spectacle, a precise sequence is today causing a lot of ink to flow across the Rhine and almost eclipses the sporting performance. In Germany, refereeing has been at the heart of the debates since the final whistle, with growing incomprehension around the penalty awarded to PSG just before the break. This decision, considered very harsh by many German observers, allowed the Parisians to regain the lead in a key moment of the match.
The slow motion showing a hand from Davies on a cross from Dembélé was not enough to convince some of the press and consultants, who denounced an excessive interpretation and a major turning point in the meeting. Just like the Bavarian locker room: “I have to review the penalty, and there were one or two small mistakes that I didn’t understand. But we managed the situation well and that will not stop us, we will continue.explains Jonathan Tah, while Harry Kane denounced “a rather unfortunate penalty» in the mixed zone of the Parc des Princes. This third Parisian goal in fact changed the dynamic of a duel that had until then been extremely balanced, leaving a bitter taste for Bayern and fueling a controversy set to swell in the days to come.
A debate that invaded TV sets
German consultants and journalists were quick to debate this action. As soon as the final whistle blew, consultants and journalists took up the subject, multiplying analyzes and slowing down to dissect the referee’s decision. On sports channels and in the specialized press, many denounce an intervention considered too light to justify a penalty at this level of the competition. Some former players even speak of a turning point which weighed heavily on the outcome of this first round between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, believing that this fact of play broke the Bavarian dynamic just before the break. “The referee is five meters away. The ball can only touch his hand, given its trajectory on the ground, but he shoots at his hand from two meters away. For me, it’s not a fault of the hand. He turns away, then his arm tenses. Where else could he have put it? The fact that he has his hands behind his back obviously doesn’t work in his favor. For me, it’s not a penalty.”explained Dietmar Hamann, consultant for Sky Sport. Same story for his colleague Jan Age Fjörtoft: “We always say that the hands should have a natural movement. The hand rule is complex, but there was reason to whistle a penalty with this gesture. So why is he turning like that? ».
“The penalty awarded to Paris was also very questionable, according to the images I saw. It appears that the ball hits the body first and then the arm. If this is the case, there is no penalty. Looking closer at the images, we realize that there may have been another problem.declared Vincent Kompany, before Joshua Kimmich followed suit: “I haven’t seen the hand penalty again, but it’s mostly a twist of fate. It’s not in the spirit of the game. We played in Madrid eight or nine years ago – I would have liked to have had a penalty like this too. It’s really annoying because there was no opponent to push the ball into the back of the net. I think the rule should be adjusted so that all hands in the area are not penalized with a penalty, because a knee to the hand is crucial, especially in the semi-final of the Champions League.. But the debate does not stop at the German borders, since in France too certain voices are being raised to point out questionable refereeing, in particular on an action involving Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the second half. The Parisian winger seemed to have been unbalanced in the area without obtaining a sanction, a decision which fuels an opposite but equally critical discourse. As a result, refereeing finds itself at the heart of the day after this legendary match, with each player having their own interpretation in a controversy which only prolongs the intensity of the match.
