A pivotal moment unfolded during the first half of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg between Arsenal and Real Madrid, as VAR dramatically overturned a key decision that could have heavily favored the Spanish giants.
The incident occurred in the 23rd minute when French referee Francois Letexier pointed to the spot, ruling that Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice had fouled Kylian Mbappe inside the penalty area.
Along with awarding a penalty, Letexier also handed Rice a yellow card, sparking tension among the visiting side.
However, what followed was a lengthy and intense VAR review lasting five minutes. Officials carefully examined the footage from multiple angles, including a potential offside situation.
After the thorough assessment, Letexier was advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.
Upon further inspection, he reversed his original decision, retracting the penalty and rescinding Rice’s yellow card.
The reversal proved to be a crucial turning point in the match.
Not only did it prevent Real Madrid from taking the lead with a spot-kick, but it also saved Rice from accumulating a suspension that would have ruled him out of the semi-final first leg—should Arsenal manage to progress.
The decision was later supported by UEFA, who confirmed that Rice had not committed a foul, and thus the penalty was rightfully withdrawn.
Despite the correct outcome, the lengthy nature of the VAR review came under fire.
TNT Sports pundits Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand criticized the drawn-out process, arguing that the situation could have been resolved much quicker.
McCoist, though visibly relieved with the final call, made no secret of his discontent with how the decision initially came about.
“I’m laying it all out right now—I’m absolutely thrilled to see that call overturned,” McCoist said, expressing his opinion that the initial penalty award lacked merit.
He praised the eventual intervention of VAR but questioned why it took so long to get to the right conclusion.
Ferdinand echoed similar frustrations, suggesting that such drawn-out reviews could disrupt the flow and rhythm of high-stakes matches.
The incident not only spared Arsenal from going behind early but also kept their key midfielder available for future games—offering a major psychological boost for Mikel Arteta’s side.
As the match continued, the focus shifted back to the action, but the dramatic VAR moment remained one of the game’s standout talking points.
