"Should I chop my arm off?"

When Pavel Královec blew the final whistle after an intense and terrific UEFA Champions League match between English, respectively German champions Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, the 1-1 draw accomplished at Etihad Stadium surely felt like a loss for the German side after many missed goalscoring opportunities and a converted penalty kick in the 90th minute of play in favour of the home team. 

Analysis of the situation

Subotić (l.fgr.) undeliberately touching the ball with his arm (c) WELT

The penalty call though has to be unfortunately (all the more harder it must feel) considered as a match influencing and therefore crucial mistake by the Czech official aspiring a promotion from UEFA's Elite Development Group to Elite Group of referees. 

Pavel Královec (r.) wrongly awarding the penalty kick (c) DerWesten

After a confusing situation in the box, the ball suddenly reached Kun Agüero who performed a sideways scissor-kick that facilitated the most controversial decision at the matchday: Dortmund defender Neven Subotić touched the ball with his arm so that Královec immediately pointed at the spot having been excellently positioned. All the criteria that is relevant for the question of whether a deliberate handball is existing strengthen the impression that it has been a bad call. Subotić's arm neither was in an unnatural position, nor was it deliberately and intentionally carted out to impede the ball. Furthermore, the distance between ball and arm surely did not exceed a metre. The Serbian's reaction time was therefore absolutely limited, he is not at fault. The most striking aspect is, beside the distance, the fact that his arm did not move towards the ball. In addition, it is in this specific case not important whether the ball would have reached the goal or not.

Neven Subotić later stated that it was "a nightmare to him that would not make him sleep" that night. He added: "It is simply sad that the referee has stolen us the victory. My arm was shot from felt 10 cms, should I chop my arm off?".

Despite the circumstance that Královec has certainly proven courage to whistle a penalty in the very last minute, this handball is not deliberate and therefore led to an unjustified penalty which equates a crucial mistake.

Contrary to this analysis, UEFA however justified this penalty. As Pavel Královec stated in an interview, Spanish referee observer Luis Medina Cantalejo declared this decision as a correct one.