Arsenal’s march to the Champions League final was sealed by Bukayo Saka’s first-half strike, but a second-half flashpoint involving Riccardo Calafiori and Antoine Griezmann has dominated the post-match discussion.

Deep into the second half, with Atlético Madrid pushing for an equaliser, Griezmann drove into the box before Calafiori slid in from the side.

The Italian’s challenge made clear contact with Griezmann’s calf, sending the forward to the ground and triggering immediate appeals from Atlético players and Diego Simeone on the touchline.

At first glance, it looked like a strong penalty shout. VAR, however, ruled otherwise after reviewing an earlier coming together involving Gabriel Magalhães, which officials judged to be a foul that preceded the incident.

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Former referee Mark Clattenburg weighed in, agreeing with the on-field decision.

“I think what the VAR has looked at is Calafiori’s challenge on Griezmann. He believes that’s a penalty kick, and replays show it was, but there was a foul just before on Gabriel. Therefore, the foul outweighs the penalty kick.”
But not everyone agreed.

Speaking on his watchalong, David Beckham was blunt: “Oh my god. That’s not a foul. That is not a foul. This Calafiori challenge.” He added that the earlier contact “wasn’t a foul at all.”

The split opinions have only intensified the debate, leaving fans divided over whether Arsenal were fortunate or correctly spared a penalty scare.

Watch the video below:

𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐑 𝐍𝐎 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐘? 💭

The referee has a big decision to make 🔎

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— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) May 5, 2026