PSG v Aston Villa: Ex-FIFA official reacts to footage of major penalty incident
Maurizio Mariani had to deal with angry protests from Paris Saint-Germain players in their Champions League victory over Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
Nuno Mendes wanted a penalty kick after the ball made contact with Boubacar Kamara’s hand in the 61st minute of their win over Aston Villa at the Parc des Princes.
When inside the box, Mendes tried to cut the ball back, but Kamara slid in and conceded a corner.
However, referee Mariani ignored PSG’s shouts for handball with VAR Marco Di Bello standing by the on-field decision by his Italian colleague.
Keith Hackett reacts to footage of Kamara incident in PSG v Aston Villa
Aston Villa have it all to do in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash against PSG after losing 3-1 in the French capital this week.
Morgan Rogers’ 35th-minute opener was followed up side by incredible PSG strikes by Desire Doue, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Mendes.
PSG thought they should have got the chance to extend their advantage before the second-leg trip to Villa Park but Keith Hackett was happy with the decision by the Italian officials in Paris.
“Because the hand was in contact with the ground, it is deemed not a deliberate handball. There is no deliberate hand to ball,” the former FIFA-listed referee told Villa News.
“It was not a penalty kick and a correct decision by the referee.”
Aston Villa need their fans to back them at Villa Park v PSG
It goes without saying, really, and there’s no way that Unai Emery and his players will have to ask – but the fans will play a huge role at Villa Park in the second leg next week.
Villa welcome PSG to the West Midlands next Tuesday (15 April) in a game that could go down in the history of both clubs if they were to win it.
Villa’s form had been incredible before being stopped in their tracks in Paris this week but it’ll take a brave man to bet big against Emery’s men at least getting a goal or two at home to at least make PSG sweat.
From there, who knows?