Penalty Denied to Gouiri: Refereeing Board Backs Letexier, Error Acknowledged at Monaco

The Refereeing Board delivered its conclusions on Tuesday regarding two controversial incidents from Matchday 5 of Ligue 1: Marseille will receive no revision of the Classique, but Lens can legitimately harbour regrets after Monaco.

During Sunday’s derby at the Vélodrome, won by PSG, Amine Gouiri made contact in the Paris penalty area in the first half after a slalom run, but referee François Letexier did not award a penalty. The decision immediately sparked controversy. The Refereeing Board validates it unambiguously, however: VAR had indeed reviewed the action, but in the absence of a clear error, Letexier was not required to consult the footage himself.

“By advancing his right leg in front of the Marseille attacker, whose forward imbalance was already underway before any contact, the Paris player manages to deflect the ball. Thus, in this situation, contact with the attacker cannot, by itself, be considered unlawful,” the Refereeing Board wrote. Letexier’s decision was therefore “the one expected”.

The situation is different for Monaco-Lens, played Friday evening. Clément Turpin did not award a penalty in favour of Lens, and the Refereeing Board this time acknowledges an error of judgment: a Monaco defender’s arm had artificially increased the surface covered by his body at the moment of contact with the ball. “By having his arm in such a position, the defender takes the risk of touching the ball with it and, thus, being sanctioned,” the body clarifies.

This official acknowledgment does not change the result: Monaco won 2-1. For Marseille, meanwhile, the Classique defeat is now part of a damning record — five consecutive defeats for Bruno Genesio’s side — without refereeing being able to be held responsible.