Why Bayern Munich Were Denied ‘Handball’ Penalty vs. PSG in Champions League Semifinal

Vincent Kompany raged into the night over numerous decisions.

João Neves (left) escaped a penalty—much to Harry Kane’s shock. | TNT Sports/Odd ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images

After 180 minutes of beguiling skills, attacking artistry and feverish defending, it’s a predictable shame that Bayern Munich’s spellbinding Champions League semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain was swept up by a refereeing controversy.

Bayern boss Vincent Kompany decried some of the officiating as “ridiculous,” with plenty of attention diverted towards the fierce appeals for a penalty after Vitinha’s clearance struck the outstretched arm of his PSG teammate João Neves.

Harry Kane led the fierce protestations directed towards referee João ­Pinheiro as Bayern chased a way back into the contest while trailing 1–0 on the night and 6–4 on aggregate.

Kane would eventually find the net to draw level in the second leg but his stoppage-time strike was too late to avoid a 6–5 aggregate exit. In the aftermath of a draining affair, Kompany took issue with some of the decisions. “We have to look at some of the phases that were decided by the officials across the two games which ... it’s never an excuse for everything but it matters,” the Belgian boss fretted.

“If we look at both legs probably too much went against us. The guys gave everything and we tried against a fantastic PSG team.”

However, as Kompany would reluctantly admit, the laws of the game were adhered to on Wednesday night.

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The Law Which Saved PSG Against Bayern Munich

João Neves was a menace for Bayern Munich is more ways than one. | Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images

“[João Neves’s] hand is in the air, it hits it. Because it’s from his own teammate it’s not a penalty,” Kompany accurately, and begrudgingly, surmised.

To quote the precise regulation in question, IFAB Law 12, it states: “A handball offense is not committed when a player is hit on the hand/arm by a ball which has been played by a teammate (unless the ball goes directly into the opponents’ goal or the player scores immediately afterwards, in which case a direct free kick is awarded to the other team).”

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Why Nuno Mendes Was Spared a Red Card?

Nuno Mendes (left) escaped a second yellow. | Boris Streubel/Getty Images

Kompany’s frustrations were exasperated by another handball call which went against Bayern a matter of minutes before the Neves incident. Konrad Laimer bullied his way down the right wing midway through the first half and appeared set to break clear of PSG’s backline only to have his heavy touch halted by Nuno Mendes’s right arm.

This was a clear handball offense—Laimer and Mendes definitely aren’t on the same team—and would surely have earned the left back a second yellow card. Referee Pinheiro whistled, seemingly set to award a Bayern Munich free kick and perhaps further punishment, only to receive what looked like an instruction from the fourth official who flagged that Laimer had handled the ball before punting it onto Mendes’s arm.

“I felt he [the referee] pulled out because he realized he already gave him [Mendes] a yellow and he didn’t want to send him off for that,” Kompany claimed.

“If you look at both [situations], a ­little bit of common sense [is needed],” the prodigious manager argued. “It’s just ridiculous. Whatever needs to happen but it’s ridiculous. It doesn’t tell the whole game but it’s a one-goal game in the end.”

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