Video assistant referee (VAR) causes controversy every week whether it be the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup, but how are decisions made and are they correct?
This season, we take a look at the major incidents to examine and explain the process in terms of both VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.
Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee, with over 12 seasons on the elite list, working across the Premier League and Championship. With extensive experience at the elite level, he has operated within the VAR space in the Premier League and offers a unique insight into the processes, rationale and protocols that are delivered on a Premier League matchday.
Referee: João Pinheiro
VAR: Marco Di Bello
Time: 29th minute
Incident: Possible second yellow card to PSG defender Nuno Mendes for a handball offense, denying a promising attack to Bayern.
TWO huge handball shouts from Bayern Munich ✋
The referee gives neither ❌ pic.twitter.com/FTyTUmnwQM
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 6, 2026
What happened: Referee Pinheiro initially penalized PSG’s Mendes for a deliberate handball offense that clearly stopped Bayern Munich from having a positive attack into their opponent’s half. This was potentially a big moment in the game as Mendes, who was already on a yellow card for tripping Olise in the fifth minute, would expect to receive a second yellow card in this situation and be sent off. However, referee Pinheiro created confusion by awarding a free kick the other way — in favor of PSG.
Having consulted with his assistant referee, the match official penalized Bayern defender Konrad Laimer for a handball offense of his own in the immediate buildup to Mendes committing the very same offense.
VAR review: As confusing and controversial as this incident was, this is not an event that falls under the jurisdiction of VAR. Therefore, it was not able to intervene or review the incident.
Verdict: A confusing incident — you would expect a refereeing team at this level and on this stage to deliver their outcome with a far better process than we witnessed in the moment. From the footage I have seen, it’s difficult to see if there is a definitive handball offense by Bayern’s Laimer; however, the assistant referee had a very good view with the best angle, so we must trust his judgment.
Time: 31st minute
Incident: Possible penalty to Bayern Munich for a handball offense by PSG’s João Neves.
What happened: As PSG’s Vitinha attempted to clear the ball, it struck the arm of teammate Neves from close range. Referee Pinheiro immediately waved away the penalty appeals.
Why was this not a penalty: The laws of the game say that a handball is not penalized if the ball hits the hand/arm of a player after it has been played by a teammate unless the ball goes directly into an opponent’s goal (or the player scores immediately after, in which case an indirect free kick is awarded) or it is a deliberate action to stop the ball going to the team’s own goal, in which case a penalty will be awarded.
Verdict: A correct decision by the referee not to award a penalty kick to Bayern Munich.
Certain laws often cause confusion, and this is one that fits that narrative. However, the rationale behind this law is solid.
In its most basic form, handball in the penalty area is penalized because it is viewed that a defender, using an illegal part of the body, is gaining an unfair advantage and potentially stopping a positive opportunity for the opponents. When the ball strikes the arm of a defender and is played by a teammate, there is no advantage gained or stopping of an opponent’s ability to have a positive opportunity — in fact the opposite, as it quite often blocks an attempted clearance away from the penalty area made by a teammate, creating greater pressure when defending. It makes no sense to penalize this as a handball.
However, you cannot just handle the ball played by a teammate in any situation. A deliberate action that stops a clear goal-bound shot or definite goal will still be penalized with a penalty and potentially a red card. Equally, you can’t score in the opponent’s goal with your hand or arm, regardless of who played the ball previously.
