Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he sympathises with Bukayo Saka after the referee failed to award a late penalty in the Gunners’ 2-2 UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg draw with Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
The North London outfit thought they had won a penalty in the very last minute of added time when Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer seemed to have stuck his leg out in the box which brought down the rushing Saka.
Referee Gleen Nyberg however failed to award a spot kick with VAR agreeing that it was not a penalty. It has led to divided opinions among fans and pundits but Arteta did not have a definitive response on what he felt about the incident.
“I was already looking at the other goal, because we are with 10-men the game hasn’t been finished so I was more worried about that than his reaction,” the Spaniard stated.
“Yeah for sure if he had that belief that it’s a penalty, you are going to react like this.
“I haven’t seen it, the decision is made and we have to focus on other aspects that we can control, we could’ve done much better.”
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Saka put Arsenal ahead in the game before old boy Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane gave Bayern the advantage. Substitute Leandro Trossard however levelled matters with 14 minutes left to play.
Arsenal will now turn their attention to a crunch Premier League game at home with Aston Villa this weekend before next Wednesday’s return leg at the Allianz Arena.
