Keown argued that the referee’s decision to award a penalty to Arsenal in the Champions League encounter was not a ‘clear and obvious mistake’.
By Kehinde Okeowo
English pundit and former England defender Martin Keown has hit out at referee Danny Makkelie and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for denying Arsenal a penalty in their Champions League semi-final first-leg tie against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday night.
The Arsenal legend criticised the decision, which led to the game ending in a 1-1 draw at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, while speaking on Final Score.
The European encounter started as a cagey affair, with both managers keen to avoid making a mistake that could lead to a goal.
However, Viktor Gyökeres won and converted a spot-kick for the visitors in the 44th minute after he went down under a challenge from Dávid Hancko.
Julián Alvarez levelled the score 11 minutes into the second half with a penalty awarded following a VAR review.
Substitute Eberechi Eze then thought he had won Arsenal’s second penalty late on when he appeared to beat Hancko to the ball inside the area but was brought down.
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Centre referee Makkelie initially pointed to the spot before being advised by VAR to review the incident on the pitchside screen.
Following a second look at the incident on the monitor, the referee made a U-turn and overturned his earlier decision.
Reacting to the decision, Keown argued that the referee should have been allowed to stick to his original call, adding that VAR and the Atlético coach pressured him into changing his mind.
He went on to insist that the decision taken by the match officials was not a ‘clear and obvious mistake’.
“I simply do not think it was a clear and obvious mistake that needed to be overturned,” Keown said. “That is not what we wanted VAR for; that is not why it was brought in.
“The referee should have been allowed to make the decision, and VAR gets too involved. The referee should not have even been made to go to the screen.
“With Simeone looking on, I think the referee has buckled under pressure. There is definite contact and it is clumsy from Hancko.”
