UEFA explain why Kylian Mbappe penalty was overturned after farcical six minute wait

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**UEFA reveal why Kylian Mbappe’s penalty was reversed after chaotic six-minute delay**

**Home > Football > Football News > Champions League**

**Updated 21:03 16 Apr 2025 GMT+1**

**Published 20:56 16 Apr 2025 GMT+1**

UEFA has provided an explanation for the reversal of a penalty initially awarded for a challenge on **Kylian Mbappe**, following a lengthy and confusing **VAR** check.

**Real Madrid**, needing to overcome a 3-0 loss from their **Champions League** quarter-final first leg versus **Arsenal**, were awarded a second-half penalty by French official **Francois Letexier**.

Earlier, **Arsenal**’s **Bukayo Saka** had his attempted **Panenka** penalty stopped by **Thibaut Courtois**. Shortly after, **Letexier** pointed to the spot again for what he believed was a foul on **Mbappe** by **Declan Rice**, who appeared to have tugged the forward inside the area.

**Rice**, who netted twice in the first leg for the **Gunners**, was left waiting for six minutes as the incident was reviewed.

Initially, the **VAR** officials examined the nature of the foul, but their focus later shifted to whether **Mbappe** had been slightly offside when the ball was flicked toward him.

On TV, viewers saw the decision reversed, with the on-screen graphic citing offside as the reason the penalty was rescinded.

However, **UEFA** later clarified during the first half at the **Bernabeu** that the actual reason for the overturned call, following **Letexier**’s review on the pitchside monitor, was that no foul had been committed by **Rice**.

The governing body of European football promptly issued a statement to the press stating that the decision was changed due to the absence of a foul on **Mbappe**.

**Declan Rice** had initially been booked for the challenge, which would have ruled him out of the semi-final first leg if **Arsenal** progressed. But with the penalty canceled, the yellow card was also withdrawn, making **Rice** eligible to face **PSG**.

As for **Saka**’s penalty, which **Courtois** saved, that also came after an overturned call—this time after **Letexier**, who didn’t originally spot the foul, awarded the penalty upon reviewing the footage.

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