Latest news with #UmutMeler
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
CdS: Atalanta penalty incident highlights need to rethink VAR protocol
Italian sports outlets echoed Atalanta's indignation at the controversial late penalty call that sealed their fate against Club Brugge in the Champions League, with Corriere dello Sport highlighting how the decision exposed the clear limitations in the way VAR is currently being used. Referee Umut Meler awarded the hosts a penalty in injury time for the softest of contacts between La Dea's centre-back Isak Hien and Gustaf Nilsson, sparking disbelief and fury from the visitors. The Italian paper criticised the refereeing team, claiming that the VAR could have corrected the unfair decision in 'half a second', an 'injustice' that was only doubled afterward, as footage clearly showed Club Brugge's forward collapsing to the ground without justification. 'The venom in the closing stages of a match that demonstrated, once again, the urgency and need to rethink the VAR protocol, which is proving inadequate,' Corriere dello Sport wrote. 'As happened at San Siro on Monday, as happened in Empoli on Saturday, as happened last night in Bruges: it would have taken just half a second for the men at the monitor to correct an injustice, which instead, in hindsight, becomes double.' Cds went on to wish a lengthy suspension for the referee: 'As for referee Meler, he can go ahead and book a long vacation in the coming months,' it reads. 'Seeing him on the field again would indeed be worse than his mistake.' Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini also expressed his frustration with the decision, claiming that 'football is becoming a completely different sport.'
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Video: Atalanta furious at ridiculous penalty call for Club Brugge
Watch and judge for yourself as Atalanta were fuming after a ridiculous penalty decision in stoppages sealed their Champions League play-off defeat to Club Brugge. The Belgians had a very strong start and took a deserved lead through Ferran Jutglà, which was cancelled out by a Mario Pasalic looping header. With the match looking as if it would end in a stalemate and continue Atalanta's unbeaten away record in the Champions League this season, they were incredulous at the referee awarding a penalty. The controversial penalty awarded to Club Brugge in the 91st minute 😬 The Atalanta players are fuming with the referee 😡 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 12, 2025 Turkish official Umut Meler made the call himself with no help from the assistant referee, who had a much better view of the situation when Isak Hien got to the through ball before Gustaf Nilsson. See how the game unfolded on the Liveblog. Hien was stunned to see the penalty call for an arm that grazed the striker's nose when the ball was clearly under his control. Umut Meler went on to book both Hien and then Juan Cuadrado for dissent, with tension that continued after Nilsson converted, as Gian Piero Gasperini stormed off down the tunnel aiming choice words towards the officials. It sealed the 2-1 result, so Atalanta must win the second leg in Bergamo next Tuesday by two clear goals to reach the Round of 16. VAR could not realistically intervene, as they can only do so for a 'clear and obvious error' – so because there was some contact, no matter how minimal, it was not really going to be overturned.
