The Celtic penalty vs Bayern Munich that never was as Michael Ballack in 'lucky' fess up and ex refs rip apart VAR snub

The French defender let off by Spanish whistler Jesus Gil Manzano after a VAR check on a flashpoint involving Arne Engels

Defiant referee Jesus Gil Manzano declared Bayern Munich star Dayot Upamecano played the ball in a "fair manner" as Celtic were denied a penalty in the Champions League showdown.

But Bayern legend Michael Ballack reckons Celtic were robbed out of a penalty against his former club after a 'lucky" escaped for defender Dayot Upamecano. With the game poised a 2-0 to the Bundesliga giants, the France international stood on Celtic star Arne Engels' foot during the showdown with the VAR team sending the man in the middle to review the flashpoint at the pitchside monitor. However, the Spanish whistler was unmoved and stuck by his original call.

UEFA later released a statement on the decision, noting that the ref's reason for the call was that: "The Bayern Munich player [Upamecano] played the ball in a fair manner before the contact between the players." But former German international turned TV pundit Ballack wasn't having it.

The former Chelsea Champions League winner said: "He clearly stepped on his ankle, so that's actually a foul. If that was in midfield it would certainly be a free kick.

"There are borderline decisions where you ask if it was a clear defensive action or was he preventing the opponent from getting to the ball? And that was clearly the case here for me, because he wanted to get to the ball and with this foul the defender clearly prevented him from reaching the ball.

"It doesn't matter whether it was intentional or not. It's a foul and only the assessment of the kick on his ankle is what should count. The referee decided that Upamecano played the ball beforehand. But for me, it's still a foul. Bayern were certainly a bit lucky in the situation. But you need that sometimes."

Speaking via the Ref's Watch X account, former SFA referees Des Roache and Steve Conroy also disputed the defence - with IFAB rules classing a "fair manner" of playing the ball as a "football motion." IFAB rules, actions deemed careless, reckless, or using excessive force must be penalised for a foul, but if the defensive player is acting with a football motion the referee can judge that the incident should not be penalised.

However, a statement from Roache and Conroy reads: "In our opinion, that’s a penalty. It doesn’t matter that the defender got the ball first, a foul is a foul. Stomping full on someone’s foot is not a 'football motion'. We have seen similar this season being given; if it happens in midfield it is certainly a foul."