Sofia Quijada
A week after a nine-goal spectacle captured the football world’s attention, the Champions League semi-final second leg between Bayern Munich and PSG ended with the debate centered on a single moment: the ball striking Joao Neves‘s hand in the 31st minute and the penalty that was never given to the home side.
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Did referee Joao Pinheiro make the right call at Allianz Arena? At the time of the incident, Bayern were trailing PSG by two goals on aggregate but looked the stronger side, dominating possession and pressing into the opposition’s box. Josip Stanisic whipped in a dangerous cross, PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov could only parry it, and Vitinha reacted quickest.
The Portuguese midfielder controlled the ball with one touch and attempted to clear with the next, blasting it straight into the arm of compatriot Joao Neves, who was standing just five meters away.
Bayern‘s reaction was immediate. Nine of their players — all except Konrad Laimer — turned to the referee demanding a penalty. Pinheiro stayed calm, consulted VAR, and waved play on.
What the Rules Actually Say
The entire Bayern bench, coach Vincent Kompany, and club legend Uli Hoeness in the stands were convinced it should have been a spot kick. But the 38-year-old official acted within the letter of IFAB (International Football Association Board) regulations.
Under IFAB rules, handball is not penalized when a player is struck from close range by a teammate, the hand is in a natural position aligned with the body’s movement, and there is no time to react. The offence applies when the hand is in an unnatural position making the body bigger, when the player deliberately moves the hand toward the ball, or when an advantage is gained.
The contrast with the previous week’s match was not lost on anyone. Alphonso Davies was penalized for handball in the first leg, giving PSG a penalty. The failure to punish Neves for what appeared a similar incident — albeit from a rushed clearance at close range — fueled the sense of injustice inside Allianz Arena.
The Nuno Mendes Incident
Two minutes earlier, in the 29th minute, another PSG player attracted scrutiny. Nuno Mendes, already on a yellow card, stopped a Bayern counterattack with his hand. Bayern demanded a second booking and a sending off. Pinheiro, reportedly on the advice of the fourth official, instead awarded a free kick to PSG after penalizing an alleged handball by Laimer seconds earlier — a decision that TV replays did not clearly support.
Post-Match Reaction
“Why wasn’t it a red card? I don’t understand. Why did we get a penalty in Paris and not here? I know the rules, but his hand was above his head. It felt like some handball decisions went against us.” — Vincent Kompany
“It’s at the very least surprising that a referee with only 15 Champions League matches to his name is in charge of a game like this. That might explain some of his decisions today.” — Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, speaking to Sky Sport
The officiating decisions will be scrutinized long after Bayern‘s elimination is processed. Whether Pinheiro applied the rules correctly or inconsistently across the two legs remains the central question. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage of the Champions League semi-finals and all post-match analysis.
Read also: Champions League & Conference League Semi-Final Predictions | Betting Digest