Old Trafford was thrown into chaos after a highly controversial penalty decision nearly changed the course of Manchester United’s match against Real Sociedad. The incident, which has been slammed as “a total disgrace” by outraged fans and pundits, saw the referee award a penalty to the Spanish side—only for VAR to overturn the call after an intense review.
The controversy erupted when a Sociedad player went down in the box after what seemed to be minimal contact. To the shock of United players and supporters, the referee immediately pointed to the spot. The decision sparked heated protests, with many arguing there was no real foul.
One furious commentator didn’t hold back, declaring, “How can anyone look at that and say it’s a penalty? It’s an absolute joke! This is blatant bias, and if this stands, the game is ruined. The officials responsible should lose their jobs over this disgraceful decision!”
Tension filled Old Trafford as VAR took several minutes to analyze the footage. When the penalty was ultimately overturned, United fans erupted in relief, celebrating the reversal of what they saw as an unfair call.
“That’s a disgrace. Thank God that goal isn’t standing!” one fan posted online, echoing widespread frustration over what many believed was an attempt to rob United of a fair result.
The incident has reignited fierce debates over the reliability of VAR and the standard of officiating in European competitions. While United escaped an unjust decision this time, the controversy will leave a lasting impact on their Europa League campaign and fuel ongoing concerns about refereeing consistency in the sport.
