Explained: Tchouameni handball and why no penalty was given

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from DaveOCKOP or go back to LFC Live.

Aurelien Tchouameni's suspected handball during the first-half of the Liverpool vs. Real Madrid match stirred significant debate, particularly because no penalty was awarded despite initial indications. Around the 30-minute mark, a shot from Dominik Szoboszlai struck Tchouameni's arm while he was close to his body. The referee, Istvan Kovacs, first stopped play and gave a free kick just outside the penalty area, then reviewed the incident on the pitchside VAR monitor to check if it occurred inside the box.

After his video review, Kovacs decided that no deliberate handball offense had occurred and restarted play with a dropped ball awarded to Real Madrid, not a penalty to Liverpool. This outcome confused many fans, especially Liverpool supporters, given the initial free kick call and the location of the incident inside the penalty box.

BBC Football Issues Correspondent Dale Johnson clarified the reasoning behind this decision: the position of the handball is a "factual decision" for VAR to judge, while the referee's monitor review is meant for subjective decisions, such as determining whether the handball was deliberate. By consulting the monitor, Kovacs essentially overturned his initial call that suggested a handball was committed. Because the handball factually occurred inside the penalty area, it would normally result in a penalty, which VAR can review; however, since the handball decision was overturned, play had to restart with a dropped ball to Real Madrid, essentially negating Liverpool’s chance of attacking possession at that moment.

This unusual sequence of decisions left many perplexed, highlighting complexities in handball interpretations and VAR protocols, particularly in high-stakes matches. The incident remains a talking point due to the rare nature of a handball call being reversed after VAR review, with no penalty awarded despite the ball contacting Tchouameni's arm inside the box.