Controversial referee decisions in Sporting Lisbon vs Galatasaray: No red card despite VAR check, penalty given
Galatasaray's Champions League away trip to Sporting Lisbon was marked by two contentious calls, as a potential red card went unpunished before a penalty was awarded to the hosts.
In the opening round of the Champions League, Galatasaray traveled to face Sporting Lisbon in a match defined by two crucial refereeing decisions. In the 22nd minute, Sporting midfielder Altimira committed a heavy challenge on Galatasaray's Batrakov. Norwegian referee Espen Eskas responded by showing only a yellow card.
Following the foul, German VAR official Christian Dingert launched a review to determine whether a red card was warranted. After completing the check, however, Eskas was not called to the pitch-side monitor, and the yellow card decision stood. The outcome frustrated Galatasaray, who had expected a sending-off for the challenge.
The match turned in Sporting's favor in the 54th minute, when a swift home attack saw Doumbia's through ball send Luis Suarez in behind the defense. Suarez got past Uğurcan and attempted to advance toward the byline, but went down following contact with Jakobs. Referee Eskas immediately pointed to the penalty spot.
The penalty call was then reviewed by VAR for roughly two minutes. The original decision was ultimately upheld, confirming the spot kick. In the 57th minute, Luis Suarez stepped up himself and converted to give Sporting a 1-0 lead. Both contentious incidents therefore worked against Galatasaray.
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