VAR penalty call confuses Referee, Players and Fans in Napoli vs. Madrid
Real Madrid ultimately celebrated a victory against Napoli, despite the match being overshadowed by a controversial penalty. The handball penalty created confusion among both fans and players, and even referee Clement Turpin.
Games like the one between SSC Napoli and Real Madrid on Tuesday night are often known for the sport itself being the winner, regardless of the outcome. It was a clash between two offensively-minded teams with outstanding individual players, lead changes, and an impressive Jude Bellingham, whose goal at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona reminded everyone of the famous namesake.
Despite this thrilling game, which Real Madrid won 3-2 in the end, there was a moment when football seemed to lose out. A penalty for Napoli caused confusion shortly after halftime. Victor Osimhen claimed a corner after Piotr Zielinski had delivered the ball into the six-yard box, where Real’s captain Nacho prevented it with a sliding tackle. Initially, the referee seemed to award a corner, which pleased all the Neapolitans. Then, however, the referee, Clement Turpin, received a message in his ear that changed everything.
The players, regardless of their jerseys, were puzzled, as was the referee himself, who asked repeatedly to clarify the situation. This strange occurrence lasted for one and a half minutes before the referee personally went to the screen. There, a penalty was eventually awarded to Napoli. Zielinski converted it to make it 2-2, even though Nacho had the ball bounce off his own foot onto his hand. There was no obvious or unnatural movement from Nacho, and there were no complaints from the players. Turpin could have continued the game with the desired corner, but Osimhen inquired just to be sure if there was indeed a penalty when the referee had already pointed to the spot. It was a bizarre scene.
The question was whether the penalty decision was still correct. Carlo Ancelotti, the former Napoli coach and current Real Madrid coach, understandably doubted it after the game. In many domestic leagues, penalties are not typically awarded in such situations, but international rules can vary.
Nachos’ arm was above head height, which, according to IFAB rules, justified a penalty. Therefore, Nacho must have been accused of either intent or an unnatural arm position. This was a tough decision, especially considering it was made through VAR intervention. However, it is not uncommon in UEFA competitions, and it temporarily tilted the game in Napoli’s favor. Nevertheless, Real Madrid ultimately celebrated the victory.
Image Sources
Steindy (talk) 23:53, 25 July 2009 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
