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| Anthony Taylor |
The rationale behind referee Anthony Taylor’s decision to dismiss Germany’s appeal for a penalty during extra time in their Euro 2024 quarter-final against Spain has been clarified.
Germany's strong appeal for a spot kick was ignored by the referee, despite Spanish player Marc Cucurella clearly handling a goal-bound effort.
Taylor’s decision was supported by VAR official Stuart Atwell.
Spain ultimately defeated the host nation 2-1, advancing to the semifinals.
This decision has sparked widespread debate among football fans, who have seen similar situations result in penalties on numerous occasions.
ESPN editor Dale Johnson provided a detailed explanation of the UEFA rules after the match.
“UEFA’s pre-tournament briefing on handballs included a specific example similar to Marc Cucurella’s situation, indicating it should NOT be considered a handball penalty,” he wrote on X.
“An arm close to the side, pointing predominantly down/vertically, and/or positioned behind the line of the body.”
Germany exited the competition on Friday, along with Portugal, who lost 5-4 in a penalty shootout to France in the second quarter-final of the day.
