Arsenal penalty decision in Inter Champions League loss branded 'controversial' - 'Who is making those rules?'

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Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown bemoaned the rules that led to The Gunners conceding a crucial penalty in their UEFA Champions League defeat to Inter. Mikel Merino was penalised for a handball at the San Siro. Keown said a deflection made it impossible for Merino to prevent the contact, while TNT Sports commentator Ally McCoist branded it "extremely harsh."

'Who's making those rules?' - 'Really harsh' penalty should not have been given, says Keown

Video credit: TNT Sports

TNT Sports pundit Martin Keown slammed the rules that led to Arsenal conceding a controversial penalty in their UEFA Champions League defeat to Inter Milan.

Mikel Merino was penalised for a handball deep into added time in the first half.

VAR looked at the decision, but decided to stick with the on-field call made by the referee.

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Hakan Calhanoglu then duly dispatched the spot-kick as the Italian outfit registered a 1-0 win to remain unbeaten in the competition this season.

Former Arsenal defender Keown told TNT Sports: "It was controversial. It's fine margins.

"I don't believe that was a penalty. I feel this is really harsh.

"Where are you supposed to put your arm in that position? Who's making those rules? Have they played the game?

"There's a sudden movement of the ball. A deflection as he goes up for it. Look how close it is to him.

"It's just come off his opponent's foot. The arm has to be there. The arm comes up when you go into a challenge. That's really harsh."

TNT Sports commentator Ally McCoist was just as frustrated at the decision.

The former Rangers striker did not deny that the ball had connected with Merino's arm, but questioned whether the midfielder could have reacted quickly enough to avoid contact.

"Does it hit his hand? Absolutely," he said. "Is his hand away from his body? He doesn't know anything about it, though.

"I just think it's extremely harsh. The law has to change. The word deliberate has to come back into it. It has to come back into it.

"That is not deliberate."

'That's the Nuances'

The incident would likely not have been given as a penalty in the Premier League, where the threshold for a handball is higher than in the Champions League.

In England, a foul can only be given if the incident directly impacts a goal, either one scored or through stopping one.

But in European games, as long as the ball hits an illegal part of the body, a foul can be given, should it be thought that the offending arm is in an unnatural position.

McCoist added: "It's ridiculous, isn't it? You can't have different rules in same competition, in the same game, in the same sport."

Rio Ferdinand, on the other hand, could understand why the spot-kick was given.

Highlights: Arsenal pay penalty as Calhanoglu strike gives Inter win

Video credit: TNT Sports

However, the former Manchester United defender did question what Merino could have done to get his arm out of the way.

"For him it might be a natural position, and that's the problem," he told TNT Sports. "That's the nuances then.

"I think it's harsh, but in today's game, and the way we see things given in the Champions League, you can understand why it's been given.

Trying to explain how Merino had got himself in such a tangle, Keown added: "He's preparing to go, with the first action, so he's committed to that. And then the ball deflects. It comes off his arm."

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