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

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**Selection**

**UEFA explains the reason for the chaotic six-minute wait that resulted in Kylian Mbappe’s penalty being reversed**

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**Modified at 21:03 on April 16, 2025, GMT+1**

**Released at 20:56 GMT+1 on April 16, 2025**

After a drawn-out and perplexing **VAR** check, UEFA has explained why a penalty that was originally given for a challenge on **Kylian Mbappe** was reversed.

After losing 3-0 to **Arsenal** in the first leg of their **Champions League** quarterfinal, **Real Madrid** needed to win, and French referee **Francois Letexier** gave them a penalty in the second half.

Previously, **Thibaut Courtois** saved **Arsenal**’s **Bukayo Saka** from attempting a **Panenka** penalty. Soon after, **Letexier**, who seemed to have pulled the forward inside the area, pointed to the spot once more for what he thought was a foul on **Mbappe** by **Declan Rice**.

**Rice**, who scored twice for the **Gunners** in the first leg, had to wait six minutes while the incident was investigated.

Before focussing on whether **Mbappe** was slightly offside when the ball was flicked towards him, the **VAR** officials first looked at the type of foul.

The decision was overturned for viewers on television, with the on-screen graphic pointing to offside as the cause of the penalty’s revocation.

After **Letexier** reviewed the call on the pitchside monitor, **UEFA** later explained during the first half at the **Bernabeu** that **Rice** had not committed a foul, which was the real cause for the overturned call.

The European football governing body quickly told the media that the verdict was overturned because **Mbappe** did not commit a foul.

If **Arsenal** had advanced, **Declan Rice** would not have been able to play in the first leg of the semi-final since he was originally booked for the challenge. However, the yellow card was also revoked along with the penalty, so **Rice** may now face **PSG**.

**Courtois** saved **Saka**’s penalty, which similarly resulted from an overturned call, this time after **Letexier**, who didn’t initially see the foul, awarded the penalty after watching the video.