Arsenal Bitter After VAR Denies Late Penalty in Atletico Draw

Julian Alvarez scored from the penalty spot to earn Atletico Madrid a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in a tense Champions League semi-final first leg at the Metropolitano.

Viktor Gyokeres had put the Premier League leaders ahead from the spot just before half-time after being fouled, but Alvarez levelled in the 55th minute following a Ben White handball.

Arsenal were left furious when a late penalty was overturned after a VAR review, with David Hancko’s challenge on Eberechi Eze in the box deemed insufficient.

“I’m incredibly disappointed and angry,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports. “It breaks the rules. You cannot overturn a decision after having to watch it 13 times” – something the referee was accused of doing on replay. “At this level, it cannot happen.”

Atletico controlled long spells, but Arsenal’s solid defence allowed them to leave the Spanish capital in good shape to hope for a first Champions League final in 20 years.

“We were the team we needed to be. If we play at this level, we can win,” Atletico captain Koke told Movistar of second-half display. “In my opinion, they didn’t create much danger… the team defended well, and they only had the penalty.”

The game lacked the goal-fest of PSG’s 5-4 destruction of Bayern Munich in the other semi-final but made up for it in tension and desperation not to lose.

Toilet paper rained down from the stands at the Metropolitano minutes before kick-off, an impressive if wasteful spectacle that drew ironic comments about the likely quality of the match ahead.

In a clash between Europe’s biggest clubs never to have lifted the trophy, nobody wanted to blink first.

Atletico kept its unfashionable defensive reputation but pressed hard on Arsenal early on, forcing a save from David Raya from Alvarez’s shot.

The Gunners, far from Arteta’s pre-match demand for control, tried to hit quickly. Marc Pubill blocked Martin Odegaard’s shot during a rapid counter-attack.

Noni Madueke, starting on the right in place of Bukayo Saka who was only fit enough for the bench, shot wide from distance. Next time Arsenal came forward, Gyokeres won a penalty. The Swedish striker, who might not have started if Kai Havertz had been fit, exchanged passes with Martin Zubimendi and was tripped from behind by Hancko.

Diego Simeone and veteran Antoine Griezmann pleaded for a review, but VAR did not intervene. Gyokeres took it himself, firing past Jan Oblak despite the goalkeeper diving correctly.

Atletico, back in the semi-finals for the first time in nine years, erupted in the second half. Raya saved a shot from Ademola Lookman, Gabriel blocked Griezmann’s finish. Atletico levelled from the spot after White handled. Alvarez took it – after missing during a Copa del Rey penalty shootout in April – and this time made no mistake.

Griezmann hit the crossbar, then sliced wide as Atletico turned up the pressure. Lookman came close to scoring but blew the chance.

Arsenal thought they had a second penalty when Eze fell after Hancko’s late challenge, but the referee changed his decision after checking VAR, ruling the Slovakian defender’s contact minimal.

Arsenal face Fulham in the title race with Man City, while Atletico have no La Liga ambitions left, and Simeone will rotate his squad before the return leg in London.