Atletico Madrid star makes dressing room feelings clear on VAR controversy

Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid was marred by controversy with the referee pointing to the penalty spot on three occasions but one particular decision left the Gunners furious

Atletico Madrid star Jan Oblak claimed his side agreed with the decision to controversially chalk off Arsenal’s penalty. The Gunners thought they had won a second spot kick at the Metropolitano on Wednesday evening as Eberechi Eze was taken down by David Hancko.

Referee Danny Makkelie initially gave the penalty but changed his mind after being beckoned to the VAR booth. He was shown 13 replays of the incident before deciding to cancel the spot kick.

Oblak, 33, was asked for his take on the decision and claimed that the official was correct. The Slovenian stopper said: "It was an intense game from both sides. Both sides were looking for a win but I think we had a good game but at 1-1, there's a lot to decide in London next week.

"There's always relief when a penalty is overturned, I hope I would have stopped it anyway. It was the referee's decision to change it and we agree with him.

"I was close to stopping the first penalty but it was just the power. He hit it with maximum power but it's in the past. We need to focus firstly on the weekend and then to London.

"We will not think about the previous game where we lost 4-0 there. I believe it will be a different game and we will do everything to get a good result and get to the final.

"We don't think about lifting the trophy, first we need to work on the pitch in the second leg. Arsenal want to win the Champions League as well so we need to pass them first."

The decision to chalk off Arsenal’s penalty was the third time that the referee had pointed to the spot. The Gunners were awarded a spot kick in the first half after Viktor Gyokeres was downed by Hancko.

Atleti were then awarded their own after an apparent handball by Ben White. Speaking about those decisions, boss Diego Simeone said: “In my opinion, the first penalty involved contact from behind, the player anticipated the contact and went down. In Champions League semi-finals, you need a penalty that is truly a penalty.

“The referee understood that it was. On the other occasion, thanks to VAR, he understood that it was a penalty because initially it wasn’t a handball, and then, in the second instance, also thanks to VAR, it wasn’t a penalty. VAR sometimes gives you the benefit of the doubt and sometimes it takes it away.”