The denial of what Chelsea and their supporters believed to be a clear penalty on August 18 sparked considerable frustration and anger. This incident occurred during Chelsea’s opening match of the 2024–2025 season at Stamford Bridge against Manchester City.
The game took an early turn when, in the eighteenth minute, Erling Haaland scored his first goal of the season for Manchester City, latching onto a long ball and placing it past Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez.
As the match progressed, Chelsea began to gain some momentum, with their new manager, Enzo Maresca, keen to make a strong impression in his first competitive match in charge.
One of the most controversial moments of the match came when Chelsea believed they were denied a clear penalty. In the second half, Mateo Kovacic, a former Chelsea player now with Manchester City, was involved in a handball incident that left Chelsea players and fans in disbelief. Enzo Fernandez led Chelsea’s efforts to earn a penalty, but referee Anthony Taylor remained unmoved.
The incident in question occurred when Malo Gusto attempted a pass that appeared to strike Kovacic’s arm as he fumbled, leading Chelsea players and fans to erupt in protest, expecting a penalty to be awarded. However, Taylor once again declined to point to the spot, much to the frustration of the home side.
The situation intensified when replays showed that the ball had indeed made contact with Kovacic’s underarm, prompting a closer examination of the football regulations. According to the International Football Association Board (IFAB) Law 12, a handball offense is committed when a player makes their body unnaturally larger by using their hand or arm.
The rule states that if a player’s hand or arm position is not a natural result of their body movement in a particular situation, it is considered an infraction.
Despite this, the referee’s decision not to award a penalty hinged on another aspect of the rule—the proximity of Kovacic to the ball at the time of the handball.
The argument was that Gusto’s close proximity to Kovacic did not give the Manchester City midfielder enough time to move his arm into a natural position before the ball struck it.
The Premier League’s statement on the matter highlighted that referees are instructed to consider the proximity of the player to the ball when making decisions about handball incidents.
This rule allows for the interpretation that, even if the arm is in an unnatural position, the player may not be penalized if they did not have sufficient time to react and move their arm.
The controversy did not end with the handball incident. Shortly after the decision not to award a penalty, Kovacic compounded Chelsea’s misery by scoring Manchester City’s second goal, further damaging his former team’s hopes in the match. This goal effectively sealed City’s victory and marked a bright start to their defense of the Premier League title.
The incident left Chelsea fans feeling aggrieved and added to the growing discourse around the interpretation of handball rules and the use of VAR in the Premier League. As the season progresses, this moment is likely to be remembered as one of the early flashpoints in what promises to be a fiercely contested campaign.
