In the 31st minute of the Champions League semifinal second leg between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, a controversial moment unfolded. PSG midfielder Vitinha, attempting to clear the ball from his own penalty area, struck the outstretched arm of his teammate João Neves. Despite the contact, the referee did not award a penalty, sparking protests from Bayern players and fans.
The decision was later clarified by Archivo VAR, which stated: “Is João Neves’ handball punishable? No. Vitinha makes a controlled clearance — the ball hits the Portuguese player’s arm while he is trying to protect himself. Regardless of whether the arm is extended, such handball is not an offense.”
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for the Laws of the Game, provides further guidance on such situations: “Scenario: A defender attempts to clear the ball. The ball strikes the arm of another defender who is close to the teammate and inside their own penalty area. The defender does not expect the ball to come from a teammate. Referee decision: In such episodes, the referee allows play to continue. This is not considered a handball offense because the defender did not intentionally make their body unnaturally bigger. It is irrelevant whether the arm was pressed against the body or extended.”
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Bayern equalizing in stoppage time through Harry Kane (90+4′) after an early goal from Ousmane Dembélé (3′). However, PSG advanced to the Champions League final with a 6-5 aggregate score.
The game saw a tightly contested battle, with both sides registering 6 shots on target. PSG dominated corners (8 to 1) while Bayern held slight possession advantages in certain phases. The officiating crew, led by Portuguese referee João Pinheiro, faced scrutiny but ultimately relied on IFAB guidelines to make the call.
Key match details: Bayern’s starting lineup included Neuer, Laimer, Olise, Díaz, Kane, Kimmich, Pavlović, Stanišić, Kim Min-jae, Musiala, and Jackson, with substitutes such as Davies and Upamecano. PSG fielded Safonov, Zaire-Emery, Neves, Vitinha, Kvara, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes, Mayulu, Ruiz, Beraldo, Dembélé, Barcola, Doué, and Hernández. Yellow cards were even at 3 each, and fouls stood at 11 for Bayern and 12 for PSG.