Arsenal secured the Champions League trophy after defeating Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.. The victory is now under scrutiny due to several controversial officiating calls during the match.

The Trossard handball that paved the way for Kai Havertz

The match at the Puskas Arena took a contentious turn early on when Kai Havertz scored to give Arsenal the lead. According to the report, the goal occurred after Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos attempted a clearance that struck the arm of Leandro Trossard. Despite the ball deflecting off Trossard before rolling to Havertz for the finish, the officiating crew allowed the goal to stand.

This decision immediately sparked accusations of favoritism. While the goal provided Arsenal with a critical early advantage, the lack of a handball call on Leandro Trossard has left the legitimacy of the opening score in doubt for many observers.

Why Slavko Vincic ignored Bukayo Saka's penalty-area handball

Shortly after the opening goal, referee Slavko Vincic faced further scrutiny during a defensive sequence involving Bukayo Saka. As reported, Bukayo Saka attempted to clear a bouncing ball within his own penalty area but missed the kick, resulting in the ball striking his hand. Despite urgent appeals from Paris Saint-Germain players for a penalty, Slavko Vincic waved play on.

The controversy was deepened by the silence of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which did not intervene to suggest a review. This failure to penalize Bukayo Saka's handball reinforced the narrative of a one-sided officiating performance in a high-stakes final.

The second yellow card Cristhian Mosquera avoided

The disciplinary consistency of the match was further questioned during a clash between Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. While the referee awarded a penalty to Paris Saint-Germain—which Ousmane Dembele successfully converted—Cristhian Mosquera escaped a second yellow card despite a clumsy challenge in the box.

Many analysts argue that the challenge on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia warranted a dismissal. The fact that Cristhian Mosquera remained on the pitch despite the severity of the foul added to the frustration of the Paris Saint-Germain camp and their supporters.

Seven Premier League errors and the pattern of Arsenal's luck

The incidents in Budapest are not viewed in isolation but as part of a wider trend. The source notes that a study earlier this season found Arsenal benefited from seven refereeing errors in the Premier League, including three red cards that were not issued and three penalties that should have been awarded against them.

This statistical backdrop suggests a recurring pattern of favorable outcomes for Arsenal. While former defender Martin Keown defended the Budapest decisions as being in the "spirit of the game," the repetition of such errors across different competitions raises questions about whether the Gunners are unusually lucky or if there is a systemic bias in officiating.

The missing VAR explanation for the Puskas Arena decisions

Despite the outcry, several critical pieces of information remain missing.. It is currently unknown why the VAR officials deemed the Bukayo Saka handball not "clear and obvious" enough to warrant a review, nor has there been a formal explanation for why the Leandro Trossard deflection was ignored.

Furthermore, the report highlights a divide in expert opinion, with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard agreeing that the Saka incident was not a penalty, while social media users claimed the match was a display of "corruption in real time." Until governing bodies provide a technical breakdown of these calls, the debate over the Puskas Arena final will likely persist.