Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has blasted the UEFA directions which led to Manchester United being awarded a stoppage time penalty against PSG on Wednesday night.
Diogo Dalot’s 94th minute shot struck Presnel Kimpembe’s arm in the penalty area and, after consulting with VAR, the referee awarded United a spot-kick.
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The decision has caused serious debate, with even the former United trio of BT Sport pundits, Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Owen, questioning the call.
Clattenburg agrees that it should not be a penalty, but says the referee made the right decision as he was following the latest directions from UEFA.
Diogo Dalot’s shot hit Kimpembe’s arm (Picture: Getty Images)
‘Let’s be clear, referee Damir Skomina applied the laws as UEFA wish them to be in awarding Manchester United their late penalty in Paris,’ Clattenburg wrote in the Daily Mail.
‘But PSG will be furious, and I understand why.
‘This, for me, should not have been a penalty as Presnel Kimpembe did not deliberately handle the ball.’
Mark Clattenburg believes got it right but the rules are wrong (Picture: Getty Images)
The 43-year-old went on to explain how the exact same situation would not have resulted in a penalty in the Premier League as it is a UEFA incentive which arose as recently as February.
‘This would never be given as a penalty in the Premier League,’ Clattenburg continued. ‘But it was given in the Champions League because of UEFA’s recent instruction to referees, which came about after Manchester City conceded a similar one at Schalke last month.
‘They want referees to penalise handballs when the arm is out and in a non-natural position.
‘In that respect the official has been consistent.’
Marcus Rashford stroked home the penalty to secure United’s progress to the last eight on away goals, but PSG boss Thomas Tuchel was left frustrated by the decision to award the spot-kick.
‘I am in favour of VAR, it is good,’ Tuchel said after the contest. ‘But I feel that the shot was not on target and if it was not on target, it makes no sense to give a penalty.
‘The rules surrounding the hand are always difficult to explain. The rules are not clear. It was not a shot on target and that makes it a penalty, okay’
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