Arsenal hero Leandro Trossard was satisfied with a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich tonight – but less pleased with the referee following the late decision not to award the home side a penalty.
Bukayo Saka went down under a challenge from Manuel Neuer, although it was unclear whether the Bayern goalkeeper was guilty of a trip or if the England man had dangled a leg and initiated contact.
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It was a controversial end to a pulsating game that saw Arsenal take the lead through Saka, only for Serge Gnabry and a Harry Kane penalty to put Bayern in front with Trossard coming off the bench to net a 76th-minute equaliser.
Asked about the penalty incident, Trossard told TNT Sports: “On the pitch, it looked like a penalty to me, it looked like clear contact.”
TNT Sports summarisers Rio Ferdinand and Martin Keown both felt Arsenal had been harshly treated.
Ferdinand said: “Manuel Neuer leaves his leg out. It has to be a penalty. They [VAR] had to send him [the referee] to look at it. It’s such a big decision in a game like this. There is so much riding on it.”
Former Arsenal defender Keown added: “I find it quite alarming he has not given that penalty.”
Bukayo Saka and the Arsenal players are 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃 they should’ve had a penalty in the final minute of the game! 🍿
Correct decision? 👀
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/tjUtDk4e8T
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 9, 2024
The result leaves the Champions League quarter-final tie in the balance ahead of the return in Bavaria with Trossard summing up the topsy-turvy nature of the game.
He said: “We’re not pleased but when you are 2-1 down at half-time you will take a point at the end. We started so well, the first half was so good. We could have scored two or three goals.
“When they scored the equaliser, you can see what kind of quality Bayern Munich have to hurt us.”
Trossard is developing into Arsenal’s secret weapon off the bench and he was pleased to have made a significant impact again tonight.
“Luckily I helped the team with a goal so I am pleased with that,” he said.
“I always try to do whatever I can on the pitch whether I start or come on as a sub. Hopefully I can help in the next few weeks. We have such a great team and we know it will be hard there. If we play at our best level we can beat anyone, we have to show it there.”
