The VAR decision during Newcastle United vs PSG invited massive controversy. Despite Aleksander Isak‘s rebound goal and Nick Pope‘s crucial saves, the Magpies were denied victory because of a late penalty that went in favor of PSG’s Kylian Mbappe. Later, numerous prominent figures from the soccer world claimed that PSG’s penalty did not count, and the VAR robbed Newcastle. In a shocking turn of events, the UEFA has now reprimanded the referee.

Until the 90th minute, the game sided towards the Magpies. Yet all hell broke loose after one decision from the referee changed the course of the game, inviting enormous backlash. 

The VAR referee gets punished for the controversial penalty 

The Newcastle followers expressed their concerns following the decision that left their qualification to the knockout round in doubt. Following this, UEFA took some considerable actions against the official. As per reports from ‘Sky Sports’, the VAR referee, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, who reviewed the late penalty awarded to the French team, has been replaced for the Champions League fixtures tonight.

Premier League champion Tim Sherwood called out the unfair treatment Newcastle received. He mentioned how it was a “disgusting decision”. According to UEFA, the VAR official’s decision was incorrect, as they should not penalize a player for handball if the ball deflected from his body.

On the other hand, PSG manager Luis Enrique remained calm and explained the unpredictable nature of the sport. According to the Spaniard, his team could win the match, and he reminded the crowd that they are one of the top goal-scoring teams in Europe. However, the reception of the result was entirely different from Newcastle’s end; their goalkeeper, Nick Pope, was furious about the 1-1 outcome. Had Newcastle won, they would have looked forward to the Champions League.

WATCH THIS STORY- American Athletes With Ownership in Soccer Teams

The furious goalkeeper of Newcastle

Until the 90th minute of the match, Pope did all he could to stop Mbappe’s team from scoring any goals. The Magpies were on the brink of winning the crucial game that had the potential to decide their fate. He believes his team received unfair treatment from the VAR referee.

Regarding the same, he said, “My opinion, not a penalty. It’s something that hits his body first and then kind of his elbow. Really close proximity.” He added, “I think if that’s a penalty we’re given nowadays, I think that’s bad for the game of football.” 

For the British goalkeeper, it was frustrating to see his team lose by a narrow margin. Do you think that the VAR referee’s decision was wrong? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

READ MORE: Kylian Mbappe and PSG on Crosshairs After UCL Rivals’ Boss Laments ‘Injustice’ Over Controversial Penalty – “It Was Hugely Frustrating”