Michael Owen criticized the handball rule as chaotic after a controversial incident in the West Ham vs Freiburg match in the Europa League.

Referee Alejandro Hernandez found himself in the spotlight during the UEFA Europa League clash between Sport-Club Freiburg and West Ham United FC. The match, which took place in the round of 16, first leg, ended in a 1-0 defeat for West Ham, but it was a controversial decision in the dying stages of the game that caught the attention of former England striker Michael Owen.

Owen, now a sports pundit, expressed his frustration with the handball rule, describing it as “an absolute mess.” The incident occurred in stoppage time when the ball struck the arm of Freiburg’s Noah Weisshaupt inside the penalty area. After a lengthy VAR check, referee Hernandez decided not to award a penalty, much to the disbelief of Owen and his colleague Steve Sidwell.

“The handball rule is just incredibly inconsistent,” Owen stated. “From what we’ve seen in the recent past, you’d say it’s a penalty. Based on the current way we referee games, I think it’s a penalty. But I suppose it was a fairish result in the end because West Ham weren’t really pushing forward, they were happy with 0-0, and I think there was only one team wanting to win it at the end.”

Sidwell echoed Owen’s sentiments, expressing his disbelief at the decision. “When I first saw it in real time, I said penalty straight away, just because the arm is in an unnatural position. The arm is far up – I can’t believe that’s not been given. West Ham fans and players will be absolutely furious.”

The players themselves were not shy in expressing their frustration, crowding around the referee to seek an explanation. Sidwell analyzed the incident further, noting the position of the arm and the referee’s interpretation. “It is close proximity to the ball, but the arm is still above the shoulders and the head – it’s an unnatural position for me. Looking at the referee’s actions when he’s talking to David Moyes, it looks as though he was saying motion from behind forced the arm to go up. The left elbow or forearm of Tomas Soucek goes into the back of the player, and he thinks that forced him to raise his arms.”

The controversial decision left West Ham and their supporters feeling hard done by, as they were denied a potential opportunity to equalize in the dying moments of the match. The handball rule continues to be a topic of debate in football, with incidents like these only adding to the confusion and frustration felt by players, fans, and pundits alike.