This is one where Arsenal will feel they were penalised. Yes, they leave the first leg of this Champions League semi-final as favourites to go through.

But how they will believe the odds should be stacked far more heavily in their favour with a win.

It was a game of three penalties. Two were given, one was overturned. Twice the Dutch referee Danny Makkelie was sent to the pitchside monitor. Both times the decisions went in Atlético Madrid’s favour.

Arsenal will justifiably feel both penalties that were awarded to them should have stood and the one that should have been refused – but was not – was given to Atlético. It certainly would not have been awarded in the Premier League but, absurdly, the interpretation of handball appears different in this competition. Go figure that. So much for consistency.

It could be argued the penalty Arsenal were denied was more clear cut than the one they were given. And, so, they had one taken away and, after a draw, this tie is frustratingly in the balance.

It means Arsenal leave Spain with a sense of grievance and a strengthened belief that they will reach their first Champions League final in 20 years with next Tuesday’s second leg at the Emirates to come.

It will be intense. Diego Simeone alone will make sure of that. We talk so much about Mikel Arteta’s antics on the touchline but he is an inert pussycat compared to Simeone.

The Atlético coach celebrated appearing to force Makkelie to overturn what looked like a clear foul on substitute Eberechi Eze – for what would have been Arsenal’s second and probably match-winning penalty – by running on the pitch and slapping defender David Hancko hard on the back. Hancko had also given away the first penalty.

There had been expectations of a storm. It did not come from the skies – the weather warning passed – while Arteta and his team quelled what they faced on terra firma despite a tempestuous second-half spell.

Their driving force was Declan Rice who dominated from a deeper role and drove Arsenal in a way that again thrust him into the debate about who is Europe’s best midfielder. Surely this is the most effective use of him for club and country? At the base of the midfield.

In that position Rice can sniff out danger and formed a strong triangle with centre-halves William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães and how that was needed with Atlético emerging as if scalded – we can be sure Simeone tore into them at half-time – to score and create a series of chances that could have turned this tie even further.

So let us analyse each of those penalties. The first half was a textbook European away performance from Arsenal. Quell the crowd. Check. Gradually take control. Check. Subdue the opposition. Check. Score just before half-time. Check.

It was a beautifully dramatic occasion, typical of what was at stake, with the atmosphere building wonderfully and some quixotic behaviour including toilet rolls being thrown from the stands and Arsenal complaining pre-match about the length of the grass claiming it was higher than the Uefa 30mm limit. It was measured with Uefa declaring it was just 26mm. Fine margins and all that.

Arteta could not have scripted it better but it was Atlético’s own fault as they gave the ball away and Martín Zubimendi guided it through to Viktor Gyokeres who was clumsily bundled over by Hancko.

Simeone protested. Of course he did. He angrily wagged his finger and claimed Gyokeres had done that forward’s thing where they stop and invite the contact. Simeone accused him of diving. But so what? Hancko certainly caught Gyokeres and he drove home the spot-kick.

Viktor Gyokeres converts from the spot to put Arsenal ahead ⚽Watch live on TNT Sports and HBO Max pic.twitter.com/xBytKfRKEH

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 29, 2026

All well and good and gone to plan. But a storm did come and Atlético were far better after the break. Julian Alvarez whipped a free-kick into the side-netting, David Raya beat out Ademola Lookman’s shot and Antoine Griezmann’s follow-up was deflected over.

Then another penalty. Except Makkelie did not see it and was only alerted after the Atlético players went crazy and he was called over to the pitchside monitor by the VAR. So what happened? Marcos Llorente shot was blocked by Ben White. The ball struck the defender’s hand but only after it deflected up off his shin. A bit like the one given against Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies in that 5-4 epic the previous night in the other semi-final against Paris St-Germain.

The argument is that the penalty should be given because it did not change the direction of the ball. But it did, however small, by dint of first touching White’s leg. That is irrefutable. It would also not be awarded in England and although rules can be applied differently they surely should not be for something as fundamental as handball?