Mikel Arteta points finger at referee over controversial Arsenal penalty call vs PSG

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Mikel Arteta had questions over the extra-time penalty controversy that preceded Arsenal's heartbreaking shootout defeat in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Eberechi Eze and Gabriel failed to score in a penalty shootout after the two sides couldn't be separated over 120 minutes. Kai Havertz had fired Arsenal into a sixth-minute lead before Ousmane Dembele restored parity from the penalty spot after Cristhian Mosquera brought down Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

There was further drama before the conclusion of extra-time when Noni Madueke went down in the penalty area after jostling with Nuno Mendes.

But referee Daniel Siebert decided the incident did not warrant a penalty, much to the fury of Declan Rice and a livid Arteta, who was booked on the touchline.

The Arsenal boss was asked about the incident post-match by TNT Sports and made it clear he felt Madueke should have won a penalty. "I watch it back and it could easily be a penalty," the Spaniard said.

"Especially we see the penalty they gave me this year in the competition. This season, the referee made a decision, and he made a different one with Cristhian Mosquera and that is an important one."

He went on to admit that losing the final on penalties was particularly cruel, adding: "Yes, it is very tough to accept when you are so consistent in the competition all the way to the final and in the end you lose the trophy on penalty kicks, so it is a difficult one."

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Rice also questioned the decision in his own post-match interview, saying: "I've not seen it back yet. At first glance on the pitch, I think he's ahead of Nuno Mendes, and if I'm looking back at the one we got against Bayer Leverkusen, it's very, very similar.

"But, look, I'm not going to get into that. Obviously, I was gutted at the time because I thought the ref would have a look.

"It was obviously not clear enough to be a pen. I thought it was, and so did our bench and our players."

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