Controversial VAR Decision Sparks Outrage as Marseille Fall to Atalanta
MARSEILLE, FRANCE – A late goal by lazar Samardzic secured a 1-0 victory for Atalanta Bergamo over Olympique de Marseille in Champions League play Tuesday, but the result is overshadowed by a contentious non-call in the final moments that has ignited fury from the Marseille camp and sparked widespread criticism of the officiating. The loss drops Marseille to 25th place in the Champions League table.
The controversy centers around a clear handball by Atalanta defender Ederson in his own penalty area during the 90th minute,moments before Samardzic’s winning goal. marseille players stopped playing, anticipating a penalty, but referee José Maria Sanchez Martinez allowed play to continue and did not review the incident on the VAR screen.
The attack leading to the goal began with Ederson attempting to clear a ball, which deflected off his outstretched arm. marseille defender Nayef Aguerd expressed his frustration after the match, telling Canal+: ”I’m someone who doesn’t like to talk about referees, but today he should have at least been fair and had the VAR checked. It’s an important game, it’s the champions League, and he doesn’t even want to check if there’s a penalty. It’s hard for me to find the right words.”
The decision drew immediate condemnation from both the stadium crowd and the French press. L’Équipe reported that the referee’s decisions “will undoubtedly cause debate,” while Le Parisien stated, “The whole stadium saw the handball. Time stood still – just like the Marseille players. Atalanta took advantage of this,hit and threw De Zerbi into blind rage.”
