The UEFA clarified the real reason behind the cancellation of the penalty awarded by the match referee during the clash between Real Madrid and Arsenal in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The referee had awarded Real Madrid a penalty following a challenge by Declan Rice on Kylian Mbappe, but he retracted it after reviewing the video technology, which sparked widespread controversy among fans.

UEFA denied through its official website that offside was the reason for the cancellation, explaining that the decision was made due to the absence of a foul by Rice on Mbappe, confirming that the referee deemed the contact insufficient to award a penalty.

It is worth noting that Real Madrid lost the first leg 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium and needs to win by a margin of four goals in the second leg to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the Champions League.