Why did PSG escape punishment in both handball incidents?

Paris Saint-Germain has secured its spot in the Champions League final, drawing 1-1 with Bayern Munich in a tense semi-final second leg. The aggregate score saw PSG triumph 6-5, but the match was marred by controversy surrounding two potential handball incidents involving PSG defenders Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves late in the first half.

Bayern players vehemently protested, believing Mendes should have received a second yellow card for a handball that denied a dangerous attack. Shortly after, Neves appeared to handle the ball in the penalty area, leading to further appeals for a penalty. In both instances, the referee, Joao Pinheiro, waved away the protests without consulting VAR, decisions that heavily favored PSG and fueled debate among fans and pundits.

Spanish sports daily AS has since offered an explanation for the referee's calls, shedding light on the nuances of the current football laws. Regarding the first incident, AS reported that the referee determined Konrad Laimer of Bayern had touched the ball with his hand before it reached Mendes. While the camera angles were not entirely clear, the report suggests the referee's interpretation was that Laimer's handball preceded Mendes's action.

For the second incident, AS cited the IFAB (International Football Association Board) rules, which state that a handball offense is not penalized if the ball rebounds off a teammate, unless the ball goes directly into the goal. Since Vitinha's clearance was not deemed an immediate goal threat, the referee's decision not to award a penalty was deemed consistent with this rule. Despite these explanations, the debate over the referee's performance and the application of handball rules in crucial moments continues.

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In every case, the current football rules of IFAB (the body that issues football rules) stipulate that a handball offense will not be penalized if the player has the ball hit their hand/arm due to a pass from a teammate, unless the ball goes directly into the goal.