UEFA make official decision following VAR controversy between PSG and Newcastle United

UEFA have announced that Tomasz Kwiatkowski, the man on VAR duty at the Parc des Princes during Newcastle’s draw with PSG, has been stood down from Champions League duty on Wednesday night. Kwiatkowski was due to officiate Real Sociedad’s clash with RB Salzburg.

Despite initially waving away protests from the home side - and the ball only hitting Tino Livramento’s arm because it had deflected off his chest, Kwiatkowski recommended that referee Szymon Marciniak review the decision on the pitch side monitor. Marciniak then overturned his initial call to give PSG a late penalty, one that was cooly converted by Kylian Mbappe.

Post-match, social media was almost unanimous in its agreement that the decision to award the penalty was incorrect, however, speaking about the controversial call after the match, Eddie Howe was coy on focusing too much on that decision and instead praised his team’s commitment throughout the match. He said: "I'm still coming to terms with it. I feel really flat but at the same time really pleased with what the players gave today.

"Their commitment, execution...We rode our luck. We ran out of luck at the end. I didn't think it was a penalty.

"What you don't take into account with those replays is how quick the ball goes. It hits his chest first. If it hits his hands first, well it's still not a penalty because he's so close. But you can make more of a case.

"It's not a penalty when it hits his chest first and then hits his hand which is low. I'm not allowed to sum it up. I can't say my inner thoughts obviously [I'd get in trouble].

"I thought the referee was having a good game up until this moment. He had been strong."

The call to stand Kwiatkowski down from duty tonight suggests that UEFA acknowledge that a penalty should not have been awarded and that Newcastle should have left Paris with the three points and their Champions League destiny still in their own hands. Instead, the Magpies now need to beat AC Milan at St James’ Park on December 13 and hope that PSG fail to beat Borussia Dortmund in Germany.