Aston Villa give away a bizarre handball penalty to give Club Brugge the lead in the Champions League

Associated Press

BRUGES, Belgium (AP) – Aston Villa awarded an unusual penalty for handball in its Champions League game against Club Brugge on Wednesday when defender Tyrone Mings picked up the ball after receiving a short goal kick from goalkeeper Emi Martínez early in the second half.

Apparently thinking the ball was not yet in play, Mings went forward to pick it up with his left hand and returned it to place it in the corner of the six-yard box.

Bruges captain Hans Vanaken converted the penalty in the 52nd minute to give Bruges a 1-0 lead, placing the ball to the left of Martínez as the goalkeeper dived to his right.

Villa won their first three games to take a surprise lead in the 36-team standings as they returned to the competition after a 41-year absence.

In one similar incident last year in the Champions League quarter-finals, Bayern Munich were denied a penalty when Arsenal defender Gabriel was not penalized for collecting a short pass from goalkeeper David Raya.

Bayern’s then-coach Thomas Tuchel later criticized the referee, who had said he would not award a penalty for a “childish error”.

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