PGMOL Chief Webb Stands by VAR Decision on Gordon Goal 

Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon celebrates after the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC in Newcastle, Britain, 04 November 2023. (EPA)
Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon celebrates after the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC in Newcastle, Britain, 04 November 2023. (EPA)
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PGMOL Chief Webb Stands by VAR Decision on Gordon Goal 

Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon celebrates after the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC in Newcastle, Britain, 04 November 2023. (EPA)
Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon celebrates after the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC in Newcastle, Britain, 04 November 2023. (EPA)

Referees body (PGMOL) chief Howard Webb said there was no conclusive evidence available for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to disallow Anthony Gordon's goal for Newcastle United against Arsenal earlier this month.

Gordon's goal at St James' Park on Nov. 4 was allowed to stand following a lengthy VAR review to check if the ball went out of play, whether there was a foul in the build-up and for offside.

Arteta gave a scathing assessment of the match officials after the 1-0 defeat ended their unbeaten run in the league, with Arsenal backing the Spaniard's stance.

"We know the ball is curved, so it can be over-hanging the line and we need evidence it's out, and we don't have that here," Webb told Match Officials Mic'd Up on Tuesday.

"The ball then comes over and Joelinton challenges Gabriel (Magalhaes), and it could be a foul, might be a foul. The VAR decides that the evidence from the footage isn't clear enough to intervene with a recommendation for a review for a clear error.

"So again, no conclusive evidence that Gordon was offside when the ball was last touched. The VAR went through that diligently and identified no clear evidence to intervene to overturn the goal. The process was actually correct."

However, Webb said VAR fell short during Wolverhampton Wanderers game against Newcastle last month.

Newcastle were awarded a penalty following a challenge by Wolves' Hwang Hee-chan on Fabian Schar, a decision Wolves manager Gary O'Neil labelled "scandalous".

"We feel this is a situation that reaches the threshold for a clear and obvious error even though there is contact and the ball isn't played by Hwang," Webb said. "VAR didn't quite get there and, in our opinion, should have done."



Mbappé's Legal Team Says He Has Seized 55 million Euros from PSG’s Accounts in Their Legal Dispute

Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
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Mbappé's Legal Team Says He Has Seized 55 million Euros from PSG’s Accounts in Their Legal Dispute

Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)

Kylian Mbappé’s legal team is going on the attack to try and resolve the legal dispute between the World Cup winner and his former club Paris Saint-Germain.

The France striker argues PSG owes him 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages, and his lawyers said they have asked the Paris court to start proceedings.

Legal expert Thomas Clay said Mbappé has been authorized by a Paris court to make a precautionary seizure of the money from PSG’s bank accounts and that he proceeded with the move on Thursday. A legal hearing is scheduled for 26 May, he said, The AP news reported.

“This story has been going on for just over a year now. One year was the deadline for trying to resolve this dispute as peacefully as possible,” Mbappé’s main lawyer, Delphine Verheyden, said. “As the months went by, Kylian Mbappé still hasn’t been paid the missing 55 million euros. A decision has been taken, this time to go on the attack.”

Verheyden said they were also asking the French sports minister to intervene and to legally challenge a decision by the appeals commission of the French Football Federation, which ruled that Mbappé’s appeal against PSG was not receivable.

She said she will also ask UEFA to look into the matter, arguing that PSG is in breach of its salary obligations. Verheyden suggested that PSG, if found responsible, could lose the licence allowing the club to play in the Champions League.