Is there an AA which shows better contact? Looks like a clear dive to me

Maybe I’m biased as a Cristante fan but for me it’s a dive. Maybe there’s enough contact to argue for a pen but I actually like refs punishing blatant stuff like this from attackers.

Uh… Why is everyone so vehement this is a Pen? Mudryk flicks the ball and there is contact, yes, but look at where the ball goes. Even if he doesn’t go down, I don’t think he’s reaching that ball before the Keeper is onto it, which is something I assume VAR would take into account.

Utter disgrace. I guess they couldn’t have one of the big boys not qualify. They’ve set the rules up nicely to determine the games I’m such a brazen manner and offer no recourse to those on the receiving end. Disgusting.

As an Italian, I turned off the TV as soon as I saw Cristante’s tackle. Minutes later I was surprised to see that it had ended 0-0 anyway

Dive

If he doesn’t make an absolute hash of the dramatical foul I think it’s given, it just so simulated because of his reaction.

Are they PL refs?

100% pen - Arteta would be furious if that happened to his team.

Silly Italians. Mudryk skies all his good chances. No need to foul the guy

Even if the ref somehow missed it, I can’t imagine VAR managed to check it properly in such short amount of time. Looked like the play resumed within like 10 seconds. There just wasn’t enough time to tell the ref that they are checking something, see it in slowmotion in a few angles and then report back that “nah, we didn’t see anything wrong”.

The more I‘m watching the replays the more I think it’s not a penalty at all. The last take shows almost no contact at all, and the Ukrainian jumps in a very awkward way. Sure him being theatrical shouldn’t influence if it’s a pen or not, but then I watch the 3rd replay again and it‘s less and less contact to me.

The Ukrainian tries to force a penalty, to me, but IDK to be honest.

The ref must be a closet Russian

This should have at least gone to VAR.

There is slight contact on his left leg. The way that he exaggerated it by leaping off his right leg made it look a bit suss and probably put the ref in two minds.