VAR disallows Cardoso strike to spare 10-man United against Atletico Madrid

Manchester United were handed a lifeline when VAR intervened to disallow a Johnny Cardoso goal just before half-time against Atletico Madrid, with full-back Marcos Llorente adjudged to have handled the ball in the build-up.

Llorente appeared to make contact with the ball during a challenge with Ayden Heaven before playing Cardoso in to score. Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg initially allowed the goal to stand, but was directed to the pitchside monitor by VAR and subsequently overturned his decision.

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenberg offered an immediate assessment of the call. “There’s no doubt the ball does touch his hand,” Clattenberg said. “The action has to be deliberate because he doesn’t score from that action, it’s to a teammate. It has to be a deliberate handball. If it’s an accidental handball, the play continues, and the goal should stand. The referee has to decide is it deliberate or not?”

Clattenberg elaborated on the key question of intent and advantage. “What the VAR have done and the referee has had a discussion over — does he gain an advantage from it? He does because it blocks a pass for the Manchester United defender. The action, he does make a movement of his arm to the ball, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this is disallowed for handball.”

Former United defender Ashley Young acknowledged the significance of the reprieve at the interval. “That would have been a sucker punch for Manchester United,” Young said. “It could have gone either way — to be honest they get away with one. You go in one-nil down, it’s better than going in two-nil down. United were partly lucky here but it’s not a goal.”

Young added that United would need to take their opportunities in the second half if they were to salvage a result. “You go in at half-time and talk about what you did well in that half and come out in that second half — if you get those chances you need to take them.”