UEFA update will leave Newcastle United seething after PSG controversy

UEFA have held talks over changing its interpretation of the handball law after a controversial penalty decision denied Newcastle United a famous Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain in Champions League on Tuesday night.

Having initially waved away PSG's appeals, referee Szymon Marciniak was instructed by VAR to review the incident at the pitchside monitor. The slowed-down replay showed Ousmane Dembele's cross had hit Tino Livramento's chest before deflecting onto his elbow but Marciniak overturned the decision and Kylian Mbappe converted from 12 yards.

Magpies boss Eddie Howe admitted after the game he felt a sense of injustice, an opinion shared by several pundits and ex-pros with club legend Alan Shearer describing it as "disgusting". And to add salt to the wounds, it was quickly discovered that advice from a UEFA boarding meeting in April this year had been ignored.

A statement read: "In their guidelines for next season, the Board recommends that UEFA should clarify that no handball offence should be called on a player if the ball is previously deflected from his own body and, in particular, when the ball does not go toward the goal."

There have been almost four times as many penalties given per-game in the Champions League in comparison to the Premier League since the start of last season, which, according to the Daily Mail, has led UEFA's Referees Committee to consider changing their guidance to officials from next season.

Livramento would not have been penalised under Premier League rules with English officials told to take several things into account, including the proximity of the player's arm to their body and whether the arm is in a natural position. 

The VAR official who sent Marciniak to the monitor, Thomas Kwiatkowski, was due to officiate Real Sociedad versus RB Salzburg on Wednesday but was removed.

Had Howe's side held out for three points then reaching the last 16 of the Champions League would be in their own hands. Instead, Newcastle must better PSG's result during the final round of Group F fixtures. United are at home to AC Milan while PSG visit Borussia Dortmund.