Cristiano Ronaldo grabs equalizer for Juventus after harsh penalty decision against AC Milan
by Tanish ChachraCristiano Ronaldo grabs a crucial equalizer for Juventus as VAR gives one of the harshest penalties against AC Milan in last night match.
Juventus was on the verge of losing to league rivals AC Milan in the last night’s Coppa Italia match. The defeat would have ended with AC Milan taking a significant advantage at the Allianz Area.
However, the Old Laday’s star player Cristiano Ronaldo prevented it as he scored the penalty in the final minutes of the game to grab an equalizer for his club and gaining an away goal advantage before the second leg.
However, the proceeding to the penalty is questionable itself and has caused further controversies. Ronaldo made an ambitious bicycle kick at the back post was blocked by Davide Calabria.
The full-back had just leapt to head away from the cross that Ronaldo eventually met and the ball struck him on the arm from mere yards out with his back to his opponent.
Juventus players made an appeal and in the VAR complied to their demands, giving Juventus the opportunity to draw level from the spot. The Portuguese International easily converts the penalty to level the score.
It seemed impossible for Calabria to bring his arm away in time and had no intention in blocking the shot with his hand, many argued that his arm would have needed to go invisible in order to prevent any contact.
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This brings another question on the handball rules and demands major alterations for teams getting wrongly punished for fouls like these. Meanwhile, Juventus will face AC Milan at their home for the second leg on 5th March.
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The Turin based club will next face Brescia and SPAL before facing Lyon in the round of 16 match in the Champions League at Parc Olympique Lyonnais.