Did Messi Miss Madrid Penalty?

By Alice Nichols

It has been a topic of discussion among football fans and critics alike whether Lionel Messi missed a penalty against Real Madrid in the El Clasico match held on April 10th, 2021.

The Incident

In the second half of the game, Barcelona was awarded a penalty after a foul by Real Madrid’s Ferland Mendy on Martin Braithwaite. Lionel Messi stepped up to take the penalty in the 62nd minute of the match. He shot towards the right side of the goal, but Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois managed to save it with an outstretched hand.

The Controversy

After the match, some fans and media outlets claimed that Lionel Messi had actually scored the penalty, but VAR (Video Assistant Referee) did not intervene to overrule the decision made by referee Jesus Gil Manzano on-field.

The argument for this claim is based on a video that surfaced online. The video shows that Thibaut Courtois’ left foot seems to have crossed over the goal line when he saved the shot. According to FIFA laws, if any part of a goalkeeper’s body is touching or crossing over the goal line when they save a penalty, it should be retaken.

The Counter-Argument

However, there is no clear evidence to support this claim as there was no official VAR review during or after the game. The footage used is also not from an official broadcast camera angle and lacks precision and clarity.

In addition, Spanish newspaper Marca conducted its own investigation using their own technology and concluded that Thibaut Courtois’ foot did not cross over completely.

The Verdict

As of now, the official decision stands that Lionel Messi missed the penalty and Thibaut Courtois made a great save to keep Real Madrid in the game. Although there is some controversy surrounding the incident, it is important to remember that football is a game of split-second decisions, and referees and officials make judgment calls based on what they see on the field.

  • Did Messi miss the penalty Yes.
  • Was there controversy surrounding it

    Yes.

  • Will it be remembered as a turning point in the match Absolutely.

Regardless of what really happened during that penalty shootout, one thing is for sure – El Clasico never fails to deliver drama and excitement for fans around the world.