PENALTY CONTROVERSY: Premier League Drops 2-Word Bombshell on Chelsea’s Handball Claim!
The Premier League offered a brief explanation for why no penalty was awarded to Chelsea after a handball incident involving their former player, Mateo Kovacic, during Manchester City’s win at Stamford Bridge.
During the match, Chelsea fans loudly appealed for a penalty after Kovacic appeared to handle the ball just before scoring Manchester City’s second goal. The Premier League, however, stated that Kovacic was “too close” to the ball for a handball to be penalized.
On Enzo Maresca’s Premier League debut as a manager, his team fell short against his former club. Erling Haaland netted his first goal of the season within 20 minutes, skillfully holding off defenders to slot the ball past Robert Sanchez. Chelsea created several chances but failed to capitalize, and Kovacic sealed City’s victory with a long-range strike, despite Sanchez managing to get a hand on it. This goal effectively ended the match, leaving Chelsea supporters frustrated, especially after their earlier penalty appeal was denied.
The Premier League Match Centre explained the decision on their X account, noting that the VAR checked the potential handball by Kovacic and upheld the referee’s decision of no penalty, citing the close proximity of the ball when it struck his hand.
Recent changes to handball rules mean that penalties are less likely to be awarded if the ball comes from close range, unless the defender’s hand is in an unnatural position. However, this did not appear to be a consideration in this instance.
Chelsea will next face Servette in the first leg of their Europa Conference League playoff on Thursday night.
