Should Arsenal have been given a penalty against Inter Milan after the former Bayern Munich veteran's challenge?

Arsenal were unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty yesterday for a foul by Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer on midfielder Mikel Merino.

Both the Gazzetta dello Sport and the Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNewsThey argue that the 35-year-old's hit was worth a foul. However, replays showed he touched the ball.

Ultimately, a penalty was the decisive factor in yesterday's game.

Inter received a penalty late in the first half due to a handball by Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino. Hakan Calhanoglu successfully shot the ball for the only goal of the game.

But Merino had been at the center of a penalty shootout at the other end early in the half.

This happened after he headed a ball and challenged Inter keeper Yann Sommer for the ball.

The experienced former Bayern Munich and Borussia Mönchengladbach goalkeeper has certainly made contact with Merino. This led to the Arsenal players calling for a penalty.

However, both referee Istvan Kovacs and VAR Christian Dingert refused to award a point.

Arsenal wanted a penalty against Inter for Yann Sommer's contact with Mikel Merino

According to both the Gazzetta dello Sport and the Corriere dello Sport, those responsible made a mistake.

The two newspapers both argue that there was no contact between Sommer and the ball.

Therefore, they suggest, there should have been a penalty for contact with Merino.

However, replays tell a different story.

There's actually no doubt that Sommer actually got the ball. The Swiss hit the ball and changed its trajectory before hitting Arsenal midfielder Merino.

The question could then be whether it was still a too fierce or reckless challenge from the Inter keeper.

But that's not how Kovacs nor the VAR team saw the incident.