Dortmund fuming over Eindhoven penalty award in last 16 tie

Borussia Dortmund were left fuming over a penalty decision in Tuesday’s Champions League round of 16 first leg that earned hosts PSV Eindhoven a 1-1 draw. Donyell Malen had scored a superb goal for the visitors against his former side before Eindhoven’s Luuk de Jong converted the spot kick in the 56th minute at the Philips Stadion. “Zero percent penalty, zero,” Dortmund defender Mats Hummels said of his challenge on Malik Tillman. “I go in for the tackle, I clearly get to the ball first, I change its course and then I make minimal contact. But this is football, I am sorry, zero penalty. Tillman was cracking up laughing, (Eindhoven winger Johan) Bakayoko also cracked up laughing, they all looked at me, grinning for several minutes,” Hummels added.
The Dortmund defender got a touch on the ball before making contact with German-born US international Tillman but a VAR review confirmed the on-field decision by referee Srdjan Jovanovic, much to the visitors’ dismay. “That is the second ridiculous penalty awarded against us in the Champions League after the (group game) at Paris St Germain. I don’t understand the referees at the moment,” Hummels said.
Dortmund lost 2-0 in Paris in September with Kylian Mbappe scoring from the spot following a hand ball incident. “Penalties are being awarded for situations that are not even fouls when they happen in midfield,” Hummels added. “No defender in the world would award this penalty.”
Dortmund host the Dutch side on March 13 in the return leg. For coach Edin Terzic, the only thing to do was to move on.
Meanwhile, Simone Inzaghi is ready to give Marko Arnautovic more game time after the wasteful Austria forward redeemed himself with the winning goal in Inter Milan’s 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid. Arnautovic won the last 16, first leg clash at the San Siro after replacing injured Marcus Thuram at half-time, and he is set for more minutes as his French teammate recovers and matches come thick and fast.
The 34-year-old had frustrated home fans with a series of wasted opportunities including a dreadful miss just after the hour mark which had supporters’ heads in their hands.