Ally McCoist has claimed that VAR decisions are being applied inconsistently between penalty areas, after a contentious call in the Champions League semi-final between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal saw a spot-kick reversed following an extended review.
Speaking as a pundit on the match, McCoist argued that a similar incident in the other box — an Atletico Madrid penalty appeal — would have been awarded and would have stood. “I think if that happens in the other box, it gets given and stays given,” he said. “There is minimal contact, he’s given a penalty, and I don’t think he sees enough there — he’s clearly changed his mind — in my opinion, if that’s in the other box, it stays a penalty.”
The flashpoint occurred in the 78th minute of the first leg at the Metropolitano Stadium, which finished 1-1. Arsenal substitute Eberechi Eze went down in the area under a challenge from Atletico defender David Hancko. The on-field referee initially pointed to the spot, awarding Arsenal a penalty.
Following the decision, VAR initiated a review. The process was lengthy, with replays reportedly shown 13 times before the referee was sent to the pitchside monitor. After viewing the incident, the referee overturned his original call, ruling that Hancko’s contact on Eze was not sufficient for a penalty. The game was restarted with a drop ball.
McCoist’s comments directly addressed what he perceives as a double standard. He suggested that the referee “clearly changed his mind” and that the reaction of the crowd, combined with the behaviour of Atletico manager Diego Simeone on the sideline, may have influenced the decision. Fellow pundit Steven Gerrard went further, advancing what he described as a “conspiracy theory” that the intensity of Simeone’s actions and the noise from the stands played a significant role in triggering the VAR review and the eventual overturn.
The inconsistency McCoist pointed to is underlined by another penalty incident in the same match. In the first half, Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Viktor Gyokeres was fouled by David Hancko. That decision was not overturned by VAR. Atletico Madrid also scored from the spot after Julian Alvarez converted a penalty given when Marcos Llorente’s volley struck Arsenal defender Ben White’s hand.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was highly critical of the decision to overturn Eze’s penalty. He said he was “extremely disappointed and annoyed because it was against the rules and it changes the course of the tie,” describing the situation as “completely unacceptable at this level” and calling it the “wrong decision.”
Former Arsenal defender and TNT Sports pundit Martin Keown argued that the VAR intervention was excessive. He said the on-field referee “buckled under the pressure” and that the decision to send him to the monitor was not justified by the “clear and obvious error” threshold that is supposed to govern VAR reviews. The debate has centred on whether the overturned decision aligned with the “letter of the law” or with the standard required for intervention, with pundits suggesting the initial award should have stood because no clear and obvious mistake was evident.
McCoist also drew a comparison with the other Champions League semi-final, between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, where a penalty was awarded under UEFA’s different handball threshold. He indicated he preferred the decisions made in that match.
The broader context of VAR controversy in English and European football adds weight to the criticism. The use of VAR has been repeatedly debated in the Premier League, with numerous acknowledged errors during the 2023-24 season and previous campaigns. Subjective calls on penalties have been a particular flashpoint, leading to ongoing discussions about consistency and the threshold for intervention.
Other incidents involving Arsenal and Liverpool have fuelled the debate. A goal for Arsenal against Crystal Palace was disallowed after VAR determined the ball had gone out of play in the build-up, a decision that ultimately benefited Liverpool in the title race. In a separate match, a penalty awarded to Liverpool against Crystal Palace for a challenge on Mohamed Salah was overturned by VAR after replays showed Brennan Johnson had touched the ball first — a decision former referee Mike Dean said was correct.
Arsenal’s run to the semi-finals was their first since the 2009-10 season, having qualified for the last four after beating FC Porto on penalties in a tense last-16 tie. They finished second in the Premier League in the 2023-24 season, securing Champions League qualification for the following campaign.
But for McCoist, the immediate question remains about the standard applied between the two boxes on the night. Martin Keown’s assessment — that the referee “buckled under the pressure” — echoed the broader concern that VAR, intended to correct clear errors, has instead become a tool vulnerable to external influence and inconsistent application.
