Explained: Why Bayern Munich denied penalty against PSG thanks to little-known rule | OneFootball

Vincent Kompany left fuming over two first-half handball controversies in Champions League semi-final second-leg decider

Bayern Munich were left furious over two key refereeing decisions that occurred during their Champions League semi-final second-leg decider against Paris Saint-Germain.

Holders PSG advanced through to European club football’s showpiece fixture for the second season in a row on Wednesday night, teeing up a mouthwatering showdown with Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30.

After edging Bayern in a 5-4 first-leg thriller in France last week, a 1-1 draw in the return fixture at the Allianz Arena saw Luis Enrique’s side triumph 6-5 on aggregate despite Harry Kane’s last-gasp goal cancelling out a third-minute strike from Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.

It was a deserved win for PSG, who would have been far more comfortable had it not been for a string of fine saves on the night from Manuel Neuer.

Though Bayern were second best, they clearly feel that the tie could have played out much differently were it not for two major officiating decisions that went against them in the first half.

The first was PSG left-back Nuno Mendes - already on a booking for an early foul on Michael Olise - avoiding a second yellow card for handball after Konrad Laimer had knocked onto his arm, with referee Joao Pinheiro - with support from his fellow officials - deeming that there had been a handball offence committed by Laimer first.

The lack of a sending off for Nuno Mendes left Bayern’s players, fans, head coach Vincent Kompany and captain Kane all incensed, and their mood only darkened just a few minutes later when strong appeals for a penalty were waved away.

The hosts appeared sure that they would be awarded a spot-kick after an initial save from goalkeeper Matvey Safonov led to a rushed clearance from Vitinha, which he accidentally struck straight into the outstretched arm of team-mate Joao Neves inside the PSG box.

Again Bayern’s passionate protests led by Kane were dismissed to anger and bemusement, though it appears that the officials made the correct call on this occasion as the result of a rule that appeared to be little-known by players and pundits alike ahead of the game.

The BBC’s Dale Johnson pointed to a crucial exemption in the handball law as it’s currently written by football lawmakers the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which directly relates to such instances.

Full-time tears: Vincent Kompany consoles Harry Kane after Bayern Munich’s Champions League elimination by PSG

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According to that law from IFAB, it is not handball when a player is hit on the hand/arm by a ball played by a team-mate.

The only exception is if the ball goes directly into the opponents’ goal or the player scores immediately afterwards, in which case a direct free-kick is awarded to the other team.

Kompany was deeply unhappy with the handball decisions after the game, calling the lack of a penalty for his side “ridiculous” as he referenced the controversial call to award PSG a spot-kick in the first leg when the ball deflected off Alphonso Davies’ body and onto his arm following a cross by Dembele.

He told TNT Sports: “I think on the handball situation I get the rules, so the very first one [involving Davies] goes to his body then hit his hand.

“It's a close angle, it hits his body first then hits his hand and then they say because of the trajectory of the cross that's why they gave a penalty.

“The second one his [Joao Neves] hand is in the air, it hits it. Because it's from his own team-mate, it's not a penalty.

“But if you look at both phases, a little bit of common sense and it's just ridiculous. Whatever needs to happen, but it's ridiculous. It doesn't tell the whole game but it's a one-goal game in the end.

“And then the second yellow card [for Nuno Mendes], I thought he was giving it. I felt he pulled out because he realised he already gave him a yellow and he didn't want to send him off for that.

“He turned it around to the other side. I've seen a few angles, I don't see Konrad Laimer touch it with his hand. They say he did, so I don't know.”

Kompany said initially: “We have to look at some of the phases that were decided by the officials across the two games which, it's never an excuse for everything but it matters.

“If we look at both legs probably too much went against us. The guys gave everything and we tried against a fantastic PSG team.”