Ex-Referee Makes Man Utd Penalty Revelation After PSG Chaos

Manchester United were gifted the spot kick after Diogo Dalot’s shot caught Presnel Kimpembe on the arm in the dying minutes.

Following a VAR decision, Damir Skomina made the bold call.

Ex-Premier League referee Clattenburg says he didn’t believe the penalty should have been awarded, but the 43-year-old understands why the decision was made.

“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 told 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.

“This would never be given as a penalty in the Premier League, 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.“

Speaking after the clash, PSG boss Thomas Tuchel claimed to still be an advocate of VAR.

“I am a big supporter of VAR, and I remain a big supporter of VAR,” he told reporters.

“When [Diogo] Dalot took a shot, I saw the ball flying straight from his foot and it goes way over the bar.

“I was surprised to see it was a corner because I hadn’t seen that, then he goes to the VAR, so I knew he was going to give it because he had evidence.

“There are too many points in whether we punish it, the distance from the player, does he move his arm, it’s 50-50. Some say no when others say yes, that’s the difficulty with handball.

“To get a reward for shooting from 22 metres over the bar and get a reward from 11 metres doesn’t make sense, but we played on the thin line for 60 minutes knowing this could happen.

“I think it’s difficult. I think there are reasons why you can give this penalty.

“When he goes to VAR, we know he has reasons. With handball, you have soft facts but not hard facts.

“The shot is wide, and then suddenly it’s a penalty. OK.”

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