In a dramatic night at the Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw against their English visitors, Newcastle United, in the fifth round of the Champions League group stage. The Parisian equalizer came from a controversial penalty in the dying minutes of the match, keeping their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive, while dealing a blow to the English side's European ambitions.
Background to the confrontation and its importance in the "Group of Death"
Both teams entered the match fully aware of the importance of the three points in what was dubbed the “Group of Death” (Group F), which also included Borussia Dortmund of Germany and AC Milan of Italy. This encounter was a chance for Paris Saint-Germain to avenge their heavy 4-1 defeat in the first leg in England, a loss that had placed Luis Enrique’s team under immense pressure. Meanwhile, Newcastle, returning to the competition after a long absence, were aiming for a historic victory in Paris to boost their chances of advancing to the knockout stages.
Match details and dramatic scenario
The match began with the expected dominance from the home side, but Newcastle absorbed the pressure and relied on swift counter-attacks. From one such attack, Swedish striker Alexander Isak opened the scoring for the visitors in the 24th minute, capitalizing on a rebound from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. After the goal, Paris Saint-Germain intensified their attacking pressure and their players squandered several clear-cut chances, while Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope delivered a stellar performance and the English side maintained a well-organized defense, seemingly on course for a valuable victory.
But the drama reached its peak in stoppage time when Polish referee Szymon Marciniak awarded Paris Saint-Germain a penalty after consulting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), ruling that Newcastle defender Tino Leverhò had handled the ball. The decision sparked widespread controversy, as replays showed the ball had struck Leverhò's body before hitting his hand. Kylian Mbappé didn't hesitate to convert the penalty in the 98th minute, securing a dramatic equalizer for his team and rescuing a point for PSG.
Impact and consequences on the future of both teams
This draw had a significant impact on the group standings. While it gave Paris Saint-Germain a valuable point that kept their fate in their own hands going into the final round, Newcastle's players and fans were bitterly disappointed, having been mere seconds away from a victory that would have put them in a strong position to qualify. Internationally, the penalty sparked a heated debate among analysts and experts about the handball rules and the application of VAR, adding further drama and controversy to Europe's premier club competition. With this result, both teams entered the final group stage match with complex calculations, each needing a win and hoping for the other's result to determine who would advance to the next round.
