Really punishable?
Kimmich is annoyed about penalties – and wants the rules changed
April 29, 2026 – 12:06 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
What an epic football game. After a 2:5, FC Bayern came within 4:5. Joshua Kimmich found one scene particularly debatable.
Paris St. Germain against FC Bayern (5:4) – a football game for the history books. Nine goals in a Champions League semi-final is something very special. Plus drama, drama, drama. And a scene that initially influenced the game – and led to discussions.
First half stoppage time: After a cross from Ousmane Dembelé, Alphonso Davis receives the ball on his left hand in Bayern’s penalty area. Shot at close range – but really punishable? After the VAR was switched on, referee Sandro Schärer looked at the scene again and awarded the hand penalty. Dembelé converted to make it 3-2 (45th + 5th).
Not entirely understandable for Joshua Kimmich. In an interview after the game he said on Amazon Prime: “The hand penalty is rather unfortunate. That’s not in the spirit of sport. That’s annoying because there isn’t an opponent behind it who can take it.”
Kimmich continued: “I think we can adapt the rule so that not every handball in the penalty area is a penalty, but that we somehow find a different rule. Because you somehow get a ball from your knee to your hand and the penalty for that is very, very crucial, especially in a Champions League semi-final.”
For referee expert Lutz Wagner, however, the decision in stoppage time in the first half was understandable. “The left arm goes out and increases the defensive area. In my opinion, it is definitely a punishable handball because the body surface is widened. According to these pictures, a correct decision,” said Wagner on Prime Video.
Apart from the questionable penalty: the first leg was the highest-scoring semi-final game in the history of the competition. Bayern had only conceded five goals in the Champions League once: in the semi-final second leg of the 1994/95 season against eventual winners Ajax Amsterdam (2:5).
