Manchester United cruised to a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, but the match wasn’t without its share of drama. A controversial moment unfolded when Alejandro Garnacho appeared to handle the ball just before his team won a penalty that resulted in Dani Vivian being sent off and Bruno Fernandes finding the net. Despite widespread debate among fans and analysts, VAR did not reverse the decision — and now the rationale has been made clear.
The incident occurred as Garnacho lost his footing and the ball accidentally struck his arm. United maintained possession, and after a quick transition involving Noussair Mazraoui, the play culminated in a foul inside the box. Many expected the initial handball to invalidate the penalty, but the ruling fell within the boundaries of the current Laws of the Game set by IFAB.
Under Law 12, handball isn’t penalized when the ball hits a player’s hand or arm after coming off another body part, provided it doesn’t result directly in a goal or an assist. In this case, Garnacho neither scored nor provided the final pass before the penalty was awarded, meaning VAR had no grounds to intervene.
Though the call sparked frustration among Bilbao supporters, the decision aligns with the existing regulations. As a result, the penalty — and United’s dominance — was allowed to stand.
