Arsenal punished by 'ridiculous' penalty in Champions League with urgent plea for rule change
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Ally McCoist feels Inter Milan's penalty against Arsenal in the Champions League is the latest evidence that the handball rule needs to be changed immediately.
The Gunners were battling a tight contest in the San Siro against Inter on Wednesday evening with nothing separating the two sides after 45 minutes.
But the game was turned on its head after Inter were given a penalty after the ball hit Mikel Merino's hand inside the box in stoppage time.
Replays appeared to indicate Merino couldn't do much to move his arm out of the way in time after the ball was flicked up in front of him.
Mikel Merino was punished for a handball inside the box
TNTSPORTS
The referee pointed to the spot immediately and VAR agreed with the on-field decision.
But McCoist, who was on commentary duty for TNT Sports covering the match, felt sorry for the Arsenal star.
"Does it hit his hand? Absolutely," McCoist began.
"Is his hand away from his body? He doesn't know anything about it!"
McCoist's co-commentator Darren Fletcher then added: "I'm going to refer you to last night to the penalty Manchester City got.
"Haaland missed it, but you get that penalty in the Champions League. You don't get that in the Premier League any more but you don't get it in this competition.
"It takes you back to what you said last night and how can it be different in different competitions but it is."
McCoist added: "It's ridiculous isn't it.
Arsenal fans felt they should have had a penalty when Yann Sommer appeared to punch Mikel Merino in the head
PA
"You can't have different rules in the same competition and the same sport.
"I just think it's extremely harsh. I just think the law has to change and the word deliberate has to come back into it.
"That is not deliberate."
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Hakan Calhanoglu scored the resulting penalty for Inter Milan
REUTERS
The Premier League have taken a more lenient approach to the handball rule as opposed to UEFA's guidelines.
Rio Ferdinand agreed with McCoist's assessment on the confusion from different regulations in different competitions.
"It's unfortunate the rules are different in different competitions," he said.
"That's the confusing thing, not only for players, but us fans that are watching the game."
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