Bayern München did not get a penalty against Paris Saint Germain because the handball law does not punish a player who is struck by a ball played by a team-mate. In this case, Vitinha cleared the ball high into the air and it hit João Neves' outstretched arm. VAR official Marco Di Bello, a 44-year-old Italian, was right not to recommend an on-field review.

Why the handball was not a penalty

The IFAB wording is clear. There is no handball offence when a player is hit on the hand or arm by the ball played by a team-mate, unless it goes directly into the opponent's goal or the player scores immediately afterwards. That is why the Bayern appeals stayed down.

The broadcast reaction reflected the same decision. Football on TNT Sports posted, "No penalty for Bayern Munich ❌" while CBS Sports Golazo described "TWO huge handball shouts from Bayern Munich ✋ The referee gives neither ❌".

The more disputed part is the match situation around the incident. One source put Bayern München 6-4 down on aggregate, while another account said Paris Saint Germain had won the first leg 5-4 in Paris. Either way, the rule point does not change, and the non-call fits the IFAB exception.

The wider context also matters. Bayern came in with only one win in their last five matches, while Paris had won three of their previous five. Harry Kane had still produced 13 Champions League goals in 13 appearances and held a 7.92 Champions League rating, which shows Bayern were carrying serious attacking threat even before the controversial moment.

What the incident tells us about the call

This is one of those decisions that looks louder in real time than it does once the law is applied properly. Neves' arm was outstretched, but the key detail is where the ball came from. It was not a deliberate handball claim built on a player controlling the ball with his arm, it was a deflection from a team-mate's clearance.

That is why Di Bello staying out of the way made sense. Joao Pinheiro did not award a penalty, and Di Bello did not have a reason to send him to the screen. The complaint from Bayern München is understandable, but the rule is doing the heavy lifting here, not opinion.

If anything, this is a useful reminder that not every raised arm creates a penalty. The law makes a specific exception for contact from a team-mate's touch, and this was one of those cases.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →