Kompany Slams Handball Decisions In PSG-Bayern Champions League Tienewsline24

Paris Saint-Germain reached the Champions League final after edging Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate, yet Vincent Kompany focused on what were, in Kompany’s view, two “ridiculous” handball calls across the semi-final. PSG will now face Arsenal in Budapest later this month, while Bayern’s defence of the European title ended amid strong frustration with the officiating.

The second leg in Bavaria finished level after Harry Kane’s late strike, but Ousmane Dembele’s earlier goal ultimately gave PSG a decisive cushion. Bayern struggled to break down the visitors for long spells on Wednesday, and Kompany felt key refereeing decisions across both matches shaped a tie that was settled by a single goal.

Kompany’s anger centred on penalty calls in each leg, both of which went against Bayern. At the Parc des Princes, Bayern conceded a spot-kick in first-half stoppage time when Alphonso Davies was penalised, allowing Dembele to score for 3-2. Kompany accepted the written rules but argued the interpretation lacked what Kompany called “common sense”.

Describing the Davies decision, Kompany highlighted how the ball first struck the defender’s body from close range before deflecting onto the hand. Officials explained that the cross’s trajectory justified the penalty. Kompany accepted that explanation existed in law, yet believed the judgment did not reflect the actual nature of the phase in such a crucial moment.

The Bayern head coach then compared that penalty to the incident involving Joao Neves in the second leg. In Bavaria, Vitinha’s powerful clearance hit Neves’ raised arm inside the box, but referee Joao Pinheiro and VAR official Marco Di Bello declined to award a penalty because the ball had come off a PSG team-mate first.

Kompany could not understand why the two situations produced opposite outcomes. The former centre-back told TNT Sports: “I think we gave everything. It was a game of details, we’ve played five times against PSG now in the last two yearsthey’ve won twice, we’ve won twice and this one was a draw. So it’s been that sort of game every single time.

“But we also have to look at some of the phases which were decided by the officials across the two games. It’s never an excuse for everything, but it matters. If you look at both legs, probably too much went against us. I think on the handball situations, I get the rules. So, the very first one [on Davies in the first leg], it goes to his body first and it’s from close range, then bounces onto his hand. They said because of the trajectory of the cross, that’s why they gave a penalty.

“Then, the second one [on Neves in the second leg], the hand is high up there, but because it’s from his own team-mate, it’s not a penalty. But when you look at both phases with a bit of common sense, it’s just ridiculous. It doesn’t tell the story of the whole game, but it’s a one-goal game in the end.”

Champions League semi-final also features disputed yellow card call

Kompany’s criticism did not stop with the handball incidents. During the first half in Munich, Nuno Mendes appeared to halt a counter-attack on Bayern’s right side by handling the ball while Konrad Laimer broke forward. Mendes had already been booked, and Kompany was convinced the referee initially moved to show a second yellow card.

Kompany said: “Then, the second yellow card, today in the first half, I felt he [Pinheiro] was giving it. Then I felt he pulled out because he realised he’d already given him a yellow card and didn’t want to send him off for that.” The Bayern coach believed that moment further influenced a tight Champions League semi-final.

The two-legged tie between PSG and Bayern produced 11 goals in total. That tally is the third-highest for any Champions League semi-final, behind Liverpool versus Roma in 2018 and Barcelona versus Inter last season, which both finished with 13. For Bayern, however, that attacking spectacle ended with elimination and lingering debate over contentious decisions.