Mikel Arteta: Overturning Eberechi Eze penalty 'completely unacceptable', 'changes course of tie'

Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico in the Champions League on Wednesday Dan Mullan/Getty Images Share articleArsenal manager Mikel Arteta called the decision to overturn a penalty awarded for a challenge on Eberechi Eze during Wednesday’s draw with Atletico Madrid “completely unacceptable”. Referee Danny Makkelie had pointed to the spot in the 78th minute of the Champions League semi-final first leg with the score 1-1 after David Hancko appeared to make contact with Eze’s right foot in the penalty area. Arteta argued Makkelie’s call to go back on his decision after consulting the pitch-side monitor “changes the course of the tie”. “After going back in the dressing room and understanding and watching the penalty incident getting overturned, (I’m) extremely disappointed and annoyed because it was against the rules, and I don’t understand it and it changes the course of the tie,” Arteta told TNT Sport at full-time. Asked if he had spoken to the referee, Arteta replied: “No, no, but the whole sequence tells the story; the clear contact, you make the decision. You cannot overturn that decision when have to look at it 13 times. At this level, it’s completely unacceptable.” The noise at the Metropolitano Stadium rose throughout the VAR check, while Atletico head coach Diego Simeone left his technical area and was in close proximity to the monitor as Makkelie reviewed the incident, gesturing for him to overturn his decision. Asked if he thought the referee was influenced by the crowd, Arteta replied: “I don’t know, that’s an answer for him, but it’s a wrong decision and it changes the course of the tie.” Arsenal had led in the first half through a Viktor Gyokeres penalty after Hancko was penalised for a foul on the Arsenal striker — a decision Simeone questioned at full-time. Atletico equalised 11 minutes into the second half, Julian Alvarez converting from the penalty spot after Marcos Llorente’s volley bounced and struck Ben White’s hand. A penalty was awarded by Makkelie after he consulted the pitch-side monitor, and Arteta had no issue with the decision. “It is a rule and they’ve been quite consistent with that one,” he said. “On that one, if you’re going to give a penalty for this kind of thing, you have to accept it. I have nothing to say with that. The one that changes completely everything, is the penalty on Ebs (Eze), and that cannot happen at this level.” Simeone told a press conference: “The first penalty, the player waited for the contact and went down. I think in a Champions League semi-final it has to be a clear penalty. But the referee understood it was a penalty. “Thanks to VAR the handball was seen, and thanks to VAR the other (Arsenal) penalty was overturned. Sometimes VAR gives to you, sometimes it takes away.” The two sides meet at the Emirates Stadium in the return leg on Tuesday. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms