Fans slam 'JOKE' of a penalty given to Bukayo Saka in footage of the Arsenal star winning a spot

Release time：2024-05-21 10:09:02 Source：Cultural Compass news portal

Footage of Bukayo Saka winning a penalty against Villarreal in the 2021-22 Europa League semi-final has drawn attention on social media after his unsuccessful spot-kick claim against Bayern Munich. 

On Tuesday night, the England international went to ground after a collision with Bayern's Manuel Neuer in stoppage time of the Gunners thrilling 2-2 draw at the Emirates. 

Referee Glenn Nyberg waved away the protests - which VAR backed up - and replays have failed to clear up the incident. Opinion remains divided, with some insisting Saka initiated the contact. 

Supporters of that view have have been quick to unearth other examples from the archives and hit upon a clip of the England international three seasons ago.

In April of that campaign, Mikel Arteta's side travelled to La Ceramica to contest the first-leg of the Europa League semi-final against Villarreal and found themselves two goals down inside 30 minutes thanks to strikes from Manu Trigueros and Raul Albiol. 

Arsenal were awarded a penalty for a foul on Bukayo Saka during the first-leg of the Europa League semi-final against Villarreal 

What a JOKE of a penalty decision. Saka kicks the Villarreal player. #VILARS pic.twitter.com/NJdvYQgruB

— TT (@MillwallTT) April 29, 2021

Saka was outraged by the referees decision not to award the penalty in stoppage time of Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich

In Arteta's first full season at the club, the Gunners were coming off the back of two winless games into a Premier League campaign that would ultimately end with them in eighth place. 

However, they managed to find a route back into the tie when Artur Soares Dias awarded them a penalty for a foul on Saka by Trigueros. 

But footage of the incident shows that the then 19-year-old clearly kicked out his right foot towards the Villarreal forward to get the contact before going down. 

Saka's method of winning the penalty against the LaLiga side in 2021 did not sit well with a few on social media

One user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote: 'What a JOKE of a penalty decision. Saka kicks the Villarreal player.' 

Nicolas Pepe stepped up to convert the spot-kick for Arsenal but they would go on to lose the tie after a goalless draw at the Emirates in the second-leg. 

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