May 10, (THEWILL) – Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne scored a stunning equaliser against Real Madrid in their UEFA Champions League semi-final, but new images suggest that the hosts should have been awarded a throw-in during the preceding phase of play.
Los Blancos weathered an early City storm and went a goal up via a sensational strike from Vinicius Junior. Similarly against the run of play, De Bruyne found the back of the net midway through the second half, scoring an almost identical goal to the one Vinicius netted.
Real Madrid protested the decision not to award a throw-in prior to the goal and they were further incensed after, with Carlo Ancelotti picking up a booking for his protests. Speaking in his post-match press conference, a furious Ancelotti said: “It was out. It’s not just me saying it, it’s technology saying it. I think it’s strange. I don’t understand why they did not use VAR.”
During some post-match television broadcasts, a 3D computer-generated image revealed that the ball had indeed gone out of play and a throw-in should have been called. While it is unusual for VAR to intervene in such an incident, it is not the first time Real Madrid had been at the wrong end of such decisions.
In 2019, Los Blancos famously had a goal against them allowed during their 4-1 defeat at home to Ajax when pictures proved inconclusive as to whether the ball had left the pitch in the lead-up to the visitors’ third of the evening. However, De Bruyne’s strike came from a new phase of play, meaning it was beyond VAR’s jurisdiction anyway.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
