Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final against Arsenal began in chaotic fashion. The French side, who dominated possession in the opening exchanges, found themselves 1-0 down inside five minutes after a misplaced Marquinhos clearance gifted Leandro Trossard the ball. The Belgian international then played Kai Havertz through on goal, and the German striker dispatched a thunderous first-time shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Just over ten minutes into the match, PSG believed they had earned a penalty when Bukayo Saka appeared to handle the ball in the box. After Ousmane Dembélé’s corner reached the England international, he instinctively blocked the ball with his outstretched arms before it dropped to his feet. Despite the Parisians’ protests, referee Daniel Siebert waved play on, and the Video Assistant Referee did not intervene.

Why the officials decided against awarding a penalty

Under IFAB Laws of the Game, a handball offense occurs only if the player deliberately handles the ball or if the contact is deemed to have unnaturally extended the player’s body surface. In this instance, Saka’s arms were clearly away from his torso, but officials likely judged that his position resulted from the natural motion of clearing the ball rather than an intentional act.

The incident sparked immediate reactions on social media. Some supporters argued that Saka had “touched the ball 27 times with his hands in two seconds”, while others dismissed the claim, stating that “it was impossible to penalize him”. The debate highlights the ongoing challenges in applying handball laws consistently in high-pressure moments.

At halftime, PSG had failed to equalize despite several half-chances, leaving the French side in a precarious position as they head into the second half.