Article by Daniel Grigore – Published Saturday, May 30, 2026, 8:09 p.m. / Updated Saturday, May 30, 2026, 8:14 p.m.
Many pundits believe that PSG should have been awarded a penalty after a handball by Bukayo Saka in the 16th minute of Champions League final. Referee Daniel Siebert did not blow the whistle, and Arsenal went to the booth with a 1-0 lead.
Arsenal opened the scoring in the 6th minute of the Champions League final, through Kai Havertz, the German who had scored in the last act and in 2021, then in Chelsea's shirt.
Ten minutes later, the Paris side called for a penalty when the ball hit Bukayo Saka with both hands in his own box.
PSG called for a penalty after Bukayo Saka's handball
It happened after a corner by the French champion. Positioned 14-15 meters from his own goal, Bukayo Saka tried to clear the ball heading towards him but struggled. The ball hit him in the right arm, away from the body, and then bounced into his left handnot attached to the body either.
The match referee, Daniel Siebert, was perfectly positioned, just a few meters away, but did not blow his whistle. Even the “VAR” Bastian Dankert did not intervene, to the displeasure of Paris.
Many pundits believe that a penalty should have been awarded, given that the ball hit Saka directly in the arm without ricocheting off any other part of his body.
A few reactions that have garnered a significant number of likes on X (formerly Twitter):
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“So far in this Champions League season, penalties have been awarded in phases like this. Bukayo Saka is very lucky”
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“How could this not be a penalty for PSG? Arsenal are cheating!”
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“It's a joke. He didn't “delete” the ball before, he didn't ricochet off his knee. Penalties like that were given all season… until today”
