Rio Ferdinand stunned after Bukayo Saka denied penalty for Arsenal in UEFA Champions League - 'I can't believe it!'

Rio Ferdinand was "in disbelief" that Arsenal were not awarded a penalty in the dying moments of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie against Bayern Munich.

Bukayo Saka went tumbling down inside the box after colliding with Manuel Neuer, but Arsenal’s appeals were dismissed and a pulsating match ended in a 2-2 draw.

Speaking after the match, an astonished Ferdinand told TNT Sports: “How has that not been given? I can't believe that it has not been given with VAR.

“Saka was the most dangerous player for Arsenal; he's running through there - that is a penalty. I'm in the stadium, I can't believe it, I'm walking around in disbelief and I've got my arms on top of my head!

“Arsenal played so well at times and were the team pushing towards the end to get a result. Mikel Arteta deserves huge credit for the substitutions.

“They paid their dues when they came on, [Gabriel] Jesus set up [Leandro] Trossard for a magnificent finish ahead of a great final 15 minutes.”

Ferdinand later debated the incident in more detail in his analysis with Laura Woods and Martin Keown, and was flabbergasted that the referee was not asked to look at the pitchside VAR monitor.

“I thought they had to send him to look at it," he added.

“They don't go and send him to look at it when it's such a big decision and so much riding on it.

“Send him to have a look at it. He has to have a look at that. Surely as a ref he would want to have a look at it?"

Martin Keown was in agreement with Ferdinand, but was more sympathetic regarding the decision not to award a late spot-kick.

“From where we were I thought all day long it's a penalty,” he added.

“There is a suspicion that Saka puts his foot towards the [leg of Neuer], but the movement from Neuer is going towards the ball.

“He comes out and makes the challenge, for me that's a penalty all day long.

He added: “They probably thought they would go with the ref if they weren't really conclusive on it. It's a really big hit, we've slowed it down and he's going at high speed there.”

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