Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has shed light on why Chelsea were not awarded two penalties during their 1-0 FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City at Wembley. The Blues were left frustrated as Antoine Semenyo’s solitary goal secured the trophy for City, completing a domestic double.
Clattenburg, speaking to The Chelsea Chronicle, analyzed the two contentious incidents. The first came in first-half stoppage time when Joao Pedro was challenged by Abdukodir Khusanov inside the penalty area. After a VAR check by Peter Bankes, on-field referee Darren England was not advised to review the play. Clattenburg explained that while there was contact, it was a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge where Khusanov’s strength prevailed, making a penalty unlikely.
The second incident was not specifically detailed in the original report, but Clattenburg’s overall assessment suggests that VAR’s decisions were consistent with the laws of the game. The defeat means Chelsea missed the chance to lift the FA Cup, while City celebrated another major honor under Pep Guardiola.