Bukayo Saka has broken his silence following the controversial denial of a late penalty in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
The 22-year-old had put Arsenal ahead in the 12th minute at the Emirates Stadium, skillfully converting Ben White’s pass into the bottom left corner with a first-time strike.
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However, despite Saka’s early goal, the Gunners found themselves trailing 2-1 at halftime following a goal from former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry and a penalty converted by Harry Kane.
Late in the game, Leandro Trossard scored to bring Arsenal level, but they believed they should have been awarded a penalty in stoppage time, which could have given them the chance to secure a lead heading into the second leg in Munich.
Saka dashed into the penalty area, aiming to maneuver the ball past an advancing Manuel Neuer, resulting in a collision between the two inside the box.
Despite calls from some fans asserting that Neuer’s contact warranted a penalty kick, VAR reviewed the incident and chose not to intervene.
The Saka/Neuer decision slowed to .25x speed. ????
???? – @CBSSportsGolazo pic.twitter.com/XCwMQ9uQMt
— Bavarian Football Works (@BavarianFBWorks) April 10, 2024
Conversely, others contended that Neuer’s deceleration was significant enough to justify the referee’s decision to withhold a penalty.
Following the match, Saka refrained from speaking to the media. While manager Mikel Arteta avoided direct commentary on the decision, he conceded that their team couldn’t alter the outcome and acknowledged their room for improvement in performance.
However, the Arsenal winger subsequently took to Instagram, seemingly expressing his sentiments regarding the events of the evening.
He wrote: “Frustrating, but everything to play for in the second leg.”
If Saka’s initial post seemed to critique the entirety of the draw, his subsequent story featuring two angry emojis indicated his frustration specifically towards the late penalty decision.
Arsenal will face Bayern in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Allianz Arena next Wednesday, following a crucial Premier League home match against Aston Villa just three days prior.
