ErrorKMI panel rulingPenaltyMinorGrumbles

Penalty not given for Reece James holding Malick Thiaw

Saturday, 14 March 2026 · 2025-26 · —

What happened

Penalty not given for Reece James holding Malick Thiaw. The KMI panel ruled the on-field decision wrong, but not a clear and obvious error, so VAR was right not to intervene.

On the pitch: Penalty not given for Reece James holding Malick Thiaw
VAR: VAR confirmed
Benefited: CHE Chelsea
Harmed: NEW Newcastle United

Fan verdict

Was the final decision right?

One tap, then pick your club. We show how Chelsea fans, Newcastle United fans and everyone else answered.

Sources

Officials & their calls

RefereePaul TierneyErrorcareer on file: 8 err · 53%VARMichael SalisburyCorrectcareer on file: 9 err · 47%Assistant VARPeter WrightCorrectcareer on file: 1 err · 75%

What the fans thought

Quiet9

2 of 289 comments in the r/soccer post-match thread were angry about the officiating, mostly from Newcastle United fans. Main gripes: penalty.

“Ref diving into the Chelsea team huddle and then the clock disappears when they're chasing the match in injury time. Thought the fix was in.” · 31 upvotes · NEW fan

“The fact that the keeper can completely miss the ball and punch an opponent, and get away with it, is absolutely embarrassing for the league in the age of var.” · -3 upvotes

Whole-match mood, not this incident alone.

Something wrong or missing?

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What happened

Sources

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