Two similar incidents involving Real Madrid and Racing Santander, and Liverpool and Arsenal, have reignited debate over how referees and video assistant referees interpret contact inside the penalty area.
Kylian Mbappe was awarded a penalty after a challenge from Racing Santander defender Matteo Prati, while Alexander Isak was denied a spot-kick despite being pulled by Jurrien Timber in the Arsenal penalty area. The contrasting decisions have prompted questions over whether a player’s reaction can influence the outcome as much as the contact itself.
Real Madrid won the match against Racing Santander 3-0, with Mbappe converting the penalty to score the opening goal. The decision was strongly disputed by the home side, who argued that the contact involving Prati was not sufficient to justify a spot-kick.
Racing captain Inigo Sainz-Maza said the incident should not have been punished, describing the contact as extremely slight and insisting that it did not amount to a foul.
Racing manager Jose Alberto also criticised the way VAR interventions are applied in different situations. He questioned why some incidents are reviewed while others are not, saying the replay did not show anything that warranted a penalty.
He added that players could make contact while competing for the ball, but that pulling down or holding an opponent was not acceptable. The decision, he said, had left him both surprised and concerned.
A separate incident at Anfield created an even greater sense of frustration for the home side during Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal. As Isak attempted to reach a cross, Timber held the Liverpool forward’s shirt inside the penalty area. The pull affected Isak’s movement and prevented him from making proper contact with the ball.
Despite the apparent shirt-pull in television replays, the referee did not award a penalty. The decision remained unchanged after the incident was reviewed. Arsenal secured victory through Kai Havertz’s 16th-minute goal.
The contrast was heightened by the fact that Isak did not go to ground or appear to exaggerate his reaction after being held. Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, according to the source article, responded sarcastically when asked about the incident.
“Just the fact that you are asking me whether he fell over explains it,” he said. “Next time, they should tell Alexander to stay on the ground, otherwise they will not award penalties.”
Mbappe therefore benefited from a challenge that Racing Santander considered insufficient, while Isak received no penalty despite the pull from Timber.
Together, the incidents have raised a wider question about the current interpretation of contact in the area: is going to ground becoming more important than the foul itself when referees decide whether to award a penalty?
