IT is a shocker that could cost Newcastle a place in the Champions League last 16.
And it is so bad that Uefa’s refereeing chief Roberto Rosetti should come out and provide answers.
Newcastle looked set for a famous win at the Parc des Princes until the penalty to Paris Saint-Germain was awarded in the 97th minute for a handball against Tino Livramento.
Szymon Marciniak has taken charge of World Cup and Champions League finals and an official of that calibre has to have the confidence to stick with his original decision.
Uefa’s own guidelines state “no handball offence should be called on a player if the ball has previously deflected from his own body and, in particular, when the ball does not go towards goal.”
Did both the VAR and Marciniak, who checked his decision on a pitchside monitor, miss the deflection off Tino Livramento’s chest?
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It was similar to an earlier incident where the ball glanced off Lewis Miley’s leg onto his arm when no penalty was awarded.
Also Livramento was in close proximity to Ousmane Dembele for the PSG forward’s original cross which came at pace, his arm was in a natural position and it was not a deliberate act.
It is just a really poor intervention from VAR and a shocking decision from an elite referee.
Until that point, the Polish official was having a good game.
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2Newcastle had taken the lead in the first half after Alexander Isak poked home a spilt Miguel Almiron shot by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
However, with the late equaliser, the Magpies now sit fourth in Group F, two points behind PSG.
Manager Eddie Howe has since slammed the decision as "not right".
In his post-match press conference, he said: “It wasn’t the right decision in my opinion.
"There are so many things to take into account at that moment, the speed first.
“It was a ricochet that when it is slowed down looks completely different to the live event.
"The ball hits his chest first, comes up and hits his hand.
"But his hand is not in an unnatural position, it is down by his side but he is in a running motion.
"I feel it is a poor decision and it’s hugely frustrating for us.”
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