Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has admitted that he understands why Bruno Fernandes was penalized for handball by VAR in the incident leading to Real Sociedad's controversial penalty in their draw against the Red Devils.
United were denied a first-leg victory on a difficult night at the Reale Arena after Mikel Oyarzabal canceled out Joshua Zirkzee's 57th-minute opener. The hosts were given the opportunity to level proceedings 20 minutes from time when VAR official Pol van Boekel spotted that Fernandes had handled the ball with his left arm in the penalty area.
Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak was then advised to go to the pitch-side monitor to take a look at the incident, before pointing to the spot. Captain Oyarzabal then stepped up to the spot and made no mistake, sending Andre Onana the wrong way after a spell of serious United pressure.
The penalty incident had caused an uproar among United fans on social media, and former United midfielder Scholes described the whole debacle as "strange."
"I didn’t know why the game had stopped. I think it is handball," Scholes told TNT Sports. "It is not a position you expect Fernandes to be in. Sometimes, when you put your hand up, you are afraid of getting hit in the head."
Fernandes' infraction initially went unnoticed by Kruzliak and seemingly the Sociedad players, with very few of them appealing for a penalty. However, Van Boekel was quick to advise the referee to take a look at the incident, to the astonishment of many in the stadium, including Scholes.
"I didn’t really see anything at the time, but looking back, it is a penalty," the 50-year-old continued. "I don’t think any of us saw it. I wondered why they stopped the game, but they went back to it, and it was a penalty."
"A little bit surprised that Bruno [Fernandes] is in that position – he doesn’t strike me as someone dominant in the air, and he pulls out. I would be the same in that situation, and you can understand why they gave it."
United were controlling proceedings before Sociedad was handed a route back into the game and even the tie. Zirkzee handed them the lead with a low drive into the middle of the net after some brilliant work from Alejandro Garnacho down the left-hand side to fashion the opportunity.
It was only the Dutchman's second goal in 17 games – and came after he missed the final penalty in United's FA Cup fifth-round defeat to Fulham – but it gave United the impetus to push on. Garnacho continued to cause problems for the Sociedad backline and came close when he hit the side-netting just six minutes after the opener.
Nevertheless, the hosts would equalize, and United's chances began to dry up as momentum switched. Fortunately for the visitors, they would hold on for a valuable draw.
"Until the penalty, we had control, and it changed momentum," United boss Ruben Amorim told TNT Sports. "In the last 30 minutes, we were really tired, and at Old Trafford, it will be different – the pressure will be on us."
"The momentum changed, but it was clearly fatigue. We were late on the balls, and they were stronger in the last 30 minutes."
"Until the penalty, we had good possession. We could put the ball behind, but our decisions are sometimes not the best. However, we have good moments."