Football official Felix Zwayer frequently featured in Arsenal matches
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Felix Zwayer's refereeing of the Champions League semi-final between FC Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain has stirred up quite the buzz, with many accusing the German official of being the deciding factor in Arsenal's narrow loss.
Declan Rice, a key player for Arsenal, voiced his frustrations, stating, "The penalty decision was a joke!" after Arsenal's defeat by a narrow 1-2 margin. During the post-match analysis on DAZN, he continued, "That's just the way it is."
In the heat of the second half, Felix Zwayer called a penalty for Arsenal's Myles Lewis Skelly, who was adjudged to have blocked Achraf Hakimi's shot with his arm. However, the resulting penalty kick by Vitinha was expertly saved by Arsenal's goalkeeper, David Raya.
Rio Ferdinand, a renowned English TV expert and former national footballer, weighed in on the controversy during the match with X, exclaiming, "Horrible decision!" Meanwhile, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown labelled the call as "ridiculous" during TNT Sports' live commentary.
London's Lost Chance
Despite the penalty's impact on the game, Rice maintained that it was Arsenal's missed opportunities that ultimately resulted in their elimination. "Two mistakes from us, two goals for them, and we had a lot of chances, but we didn't score," he remarked. The team had already lost in the home leg, 0-1.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's coach, held a more optimistic view, believing that his team deserved better across both matches. "If you look at who was their best player on the pitch in both games, it was their goalkeeper," he contended on TNT Sports.
Debating the Call
Former FIFA referee and former head of the English referees' organization PGMOL, Keith Hackett, questioned the validity of the penalty call. "That's an overzealous interpretation of the handball rule, and I don't understand how the VAR and the referee came to the conclusion that this scene was punishable. Was it intentional? I don't think so," Hackett told Football Insider.
While the penalty decision may not have been the sole reason behind Arsenal's elimination, it certainly added fuel to the fire for disgruntled Arsenal fans. Sources: ntv.de, tsi/dpa
- FC Arsenal London
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Football
- Champions League
- Referee
- Arsenal fans are expressing their dissatisfaction on WhatsApp and social media, slamming referee Felix Zwayer's decision to award a penalty during the Champions League semi-final, which they believe played a key role in their elimination.
- Declan Rice, a key player for Arsenal, complained about the penalty decision, calling it a "joke," and Rio Ferdinand, a former national footballer and TV expert, labeled it as "horrible."
- Keith Hackett, a former FIFA referee and head of the English referees' organization, questioned the validity of the penalty call, stating that it was an overzealous interpretation of the handball rule.
- In the discussion about the controversial call, Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's coach, argued that the team deserved better across both matches, while Martin Keown, a former Arsenal defender, accused the referee of being ridiculous.
- Amid social media debates and analyses, some experts argue that while the penalty decision did not completely determine the outcome of the match, it did pressure Arsenal and ultimately contributed to their elimination from the Champions League.
