Spain beat Germany 2-1 in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals on Friday, but should the hosts have been awarded a penalty in extra time?
Jamal Musiala attempted a shot on goal from outside the box, which was blocked by Marc Cucurella's hand.
So why didn't the VAR call a penalty?
Spain 2-1 Germany
Possible handball: Cucurella stops Musiala's shot
What happened: In the 105th minute, Musiala attempted a shot on goal from outside the area, but it was saved by Cucurella. The German players appealed for a penalty for handling the ball, but referee Anthony Taylor dismissed the appeal. The VAR, Stuart Attwell, reviewed the possibility of a penalty.
VAR decision: No penalty.
VAR Analysis: This is the point we have reached in the modern game. When does the ball hit the arm and when does it not?
This situation has arisen in two consecutive matches with Germany, in which Attwell was the VAR. One of them led to a penalty, the other did not. What is the difference and why?
Let's talk about the first one in the round of 16, when the Dane Joachim Andersen gave away a penalty when the ball hit his arm after a cross from David Raum.
UEFA says that if the arm is in an elevated position (or horizontally) creating a barrier to stop the ball, and that cannot be explained by the position of the body, then the referee and/or VAR should recommend a penalty kick. If UEFA did not believe that was a correct decision, Attwell would not be in the video chair for this match.
At the pre-tournament briefing, Roberto Rosetti, UEFA's head of refereeing, gave specific examples of penalties for touching the hand. Rosetti showed a video of the ball hitting a defender's arm which was upright, close to the body. He said this should not be a penalty and that if the arm is close to the body and not extended to create what could be considered a barrier, it should not be called.
Cucurella's incident was very close to being the handball incident. Although UEFA continues to enforce stricter measures against handball in competitions, it has tried to give at least a little more leeway to defenders so that they do not have to put their hand behind their back.
Therefore, a defender who is standing when the ball hits his arm at or near his side, in an upright position and/or with his arm behind the line of his body, should not be penalized.
The problem? That the ball hit Andersen's arm from fairly close range, with minimal contact, as he was running, seems less acceptable than giving Cucurella a penalty for stopping a shot on goal.
But, whether we like it or not, in both cases the decision was the one UEFA had expected.
