Wenger ‘highly against' Inter penalty kick despite VAR
Former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger believes Inter should not have been given a penalty kick for a Pau Cubarsí foul on Lautaro Martinez: 'I'm highly against using slow motion. At normal pace, this is a great tackle.'
The Nerazzurri secured a memorable 4-3 win over Barcelona on Tuesday, qualifying for the Champions League Final for the second time in three years after a 7-6 aggregate win.
The Serie A giants had a big start, seeing Lautaro Martinez score the opening goal and earn a penalty kick converted by Hakan Calhanoglu.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
Referee Szymon Marciniak gave the penalty kick after a pitchside VAR review, but Wenger argued that the official had taken the wrong decision.
'I'm highly against this kind of penalty, and I'm highly against using slow motion. At normal pace, this is a great tackle, and it's first on the ball,' the ex-French coach told BeInSports.
'Look at what Lautaro Martinez is doing. He leans into him. He looks for the penalty. In this situation, the referee didn't make the right decision. It doesn't matter if there's contact; it's about who plays the ball and who wins the ball.
🚨🇫🇷 Arsene Wenger on Inter's penalty: 'I'm highly AGAINST these kind of penalties. And I'm highly against using slow motion VAR.' ❌🚫 pic.twitter.com/3f18Q7qUl4
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) May 6, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and his players, especially Pedri, were highly critical of the officiating, somehow suggesting that Marciniak favoured the Serie A giants.
'Some 50-50 decisions all went Inter's way, but that's how it goes. I am proud of the team, I think the result is unfair and that some of the referee's decisions were very good, but not in our favour,' Flick said.
'This is football, they deserved it, and their fans were excellent, but we will be back next season.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Roma to consider offers for Tommaso Baldanzi
Tommaso Baldanzi's future at Roma appears to be at risk. According to Il Messaggero, Roma are ready to consider offers for the 22-year-old midfielder. The ex-Empoli player has struggled to obtain consistent minutes under Gian Piero Gasperini in Roma's preseason friendlies so far. Baldanzi played in 41 matches for Roma last season across Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the Europa League, scoring two goals and two assists. He was often used during the match, and in fact played a total of 1,366 minutes last season. Arriving from Empoli in January 2024, he has so far scored two goals in 59 appearances for the Giallorossi.
San Francisco Chronicle
21 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Tottenham condemns racist abuse of Mathys Tel after UEFA Super Cup
LONDON (AP) — Tottenham has slammed the "cowards" who racially abused French forward Mathys Tel after the team's loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup after a penalty shootout. The 20-year-old Tel, who is Black, was one of two Tottenham players who failed to convert their penalties as they lost the shootout 4-3 to PSG after a 2-2 draw. 'We are disgusted at the racial abuse that Mathys Tel has received on social media following last night's UEFA Super Cup defeat," Tottenham said in a statement. 'Mathys showed bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty, yet those who abuse him are nothing but cowards — hiding behind anonymous user names and profiles to spout their abhorrent views." Tottenham said the club will work with the authorities and social media platforms to take 'the strongest possible action against any individual we are able to identify.' 'We stand with you, Mathys,' Spurs added. Tel, who joined the team on a permanent basis from Bayern Munich in the offseason after a loan spell last season, went on as a substitute in the 79th minute when Tottenham was 2-0 ahead. He hit his shootout penalty wide. ___
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tottenham Hotspur Are Eyeing A Move For This Barcelona Talent: Should Frank Snap Him Up?
In a recent report, Fichajes mentioned that Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for Barcelona talent Dani Olmo. It has been stated that Spurs are facing competition from Saudi Pro League clubs in pursuit of the Spanish attacker this summer. Olmo's Impressive Numbers In Spanish Football Olmo managed to impress at times with his performances for Barcelona in La Liga last season. The Spanish playmaker scored 12 times and picked up seven assists in 39 matches for the Catalan club in the previous campaign across multiple competitions. The 27-year-old was a consistent performer in the final third as he averaged 2.97 shots per 90 minutes in La Liga. He kept 37.5% of his attempts on target. Olmo was even careful when interchanging possession with his teammates in the opponent's half, as evidenced by his pass success rate of 81.1% in the Spanish top tier (stats via Olmo is under contract at the Nou Camp until the summer of 2030, which could make it tough for Spurs to sign him on a cut-price deal in this transfer window. BILBAO, SPAIN – MAY 25: Dani Olmo of FC Barcelona scores his team's third goal from the penalty spot during the LaLiga match between Athletic Club and FC Barcelona at Estadio de San Mames on May 25, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel) Should Tottenham Hotspur Boss Thomas Frank Snap Olmo Up This Summer? Olmo is a decent dribbler with the ball at his feet and can make a few driving runs with it in the opponent's half. He has got the vision to create some meaningful openings for his teammates to find the back of the net. The Spaniard can shoot the ball with power from long range and can contribute by scoring and creating his fair share of goals up top. Olmo is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also play as a left-sided wide player if told to do so. However, it remains to be seen whether he can make a smooth transition to life in the Premier League. We can expect Olmo to add more firepower to Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank's attack. He has what it takes to fight for a regular first-team spot at the North London club this season. Olmo would also serve as an ideal replacement for James Maddison, who suffered a serious injury in pre-season. At 27, he is about to enter his prime, which makes him a worthy target for Tottenham to consider in this transfer window. All in all, Frank should focus on snapping him up this summer.
