Raging Alan Shearer admits he was baffled why referee Facundo Tello was not sent to the monitor by VAR – insisting Scotland were denied a “clear” penalty.
The card-happy whistler wasn’t shy in dishing out bookings throughout the crucial Euro 2024 showdown – with five Hungarians as well as Scott McTominay landing themselves yellow cards – but the Argentinian official opted not to act in the closing stages with Steve Clarke’s men chasing a late winner. Stuart Armstrong was played through on goal by Manchester United man McTominay before being bundled over by defender Will Orban.
While loud appeals rang out in Stuttgart for a spot-kick, the man in the middle remained unmoved. The VAR team also opted not to send Tello to the monitor to review the incident – before Kevin Csoboth scored in injury time to send Scotland crashing out of the tournament.
Shearer was left infuriated by the decision, with the England legend stating: “I thought the referee gave a terrible decision when they should have had a penalty. It was a penalty all day. It’s a penalty all day. His right knee into his right calf – I mean that for me is a clear, clear penalty.”
Pressed by Gabby Logan on why VAR wouldn’t look at it, he responded: “You tell me? They would have looked at it.”
Former West Ham boss David Moyes was critical of the ref, chiming in: “The referee got too involved in too many other things, for me. He got involved in too much of the game. I think that is a penalty kick.”
Shearer went on: “I think VAR should be tell him you’ve made an absolute howler, it’s clear and obvious. You can see that it is. Clearly he has taken him down. That was a clear penalty.”
Moyes rounded off: “I am looking thinking that is a reckless challenge and we are getting a penalty kick. What is there, three or four minutes left in the game? For it not to go to VAR. We were all shouting saying it’s a penalty kick – so surely the people in VAR should be telling the referee you should be having another look at the screen.”
James McFadden also couldn’t believe the call – with the Tartan Army hero adding: “He comes through the back of him. It’s clumsy, and I know people are going to think it’s because I’m Scottish but I can’t believe it wasn’t given on the field at the time.’