📸 Penalty drama in Gladbach: Was that really a spot-kick? | OneFootball

The match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfB Stuttgart had not even been underway for 15 minutes when the first major controversy occurred. After a cross from Franck Honorat, the ball landed on Jamie Leweling's arm - referee Sören Storks immediately pointed to the spot. 

While the scene initially seemed quite clear, the slow-motion replay revealed one thing: the ball had first hit Leweling's stomach and then bounced onto his arm. A relatively common and clear argument against a penalty. To the dismay of the Stuttgart team, the VAR did not call the referee to the monitor. 

Since Gladbach's penalty specialist Kevin Diks was absent due to injury, Haris Tabaković stepped up for the Foals to take the penalty. The half-high and moderately placed penalty was saved by Alexander Nübel. 

On the pitch, Jamie Leweling, just twenty minutes after causing the penalty without consequences, scored on the other side to give Stuttgart the lead (30'). 

In the stadium, the scene seems almost forgotten by now, but online, the discussion about the penalty is far from over. While some call the penalty scandalous, others say the arm had no business being there and it justified a penalty. 

Now it's your turn: Was that a penalty? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments! 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Dean Mouhtaropoulos - 2026 Getty Images