LAST UPDATE | 29 Nov 2023

THE VAR OFFICIAL involved in the decision to award Paris St Germain a controversial last-gasp penalty to salvage a Champions League draw against Newcastle has been stood down from duty on Wednesday night.

The PA news agency understands Thomas Kwiatkowski will no longer be among the officials selected to oversee the Real Sociedad v Red Bull Salzburg match at the Anoeta Stadium.

Newcastle were within a few minutes of stoppage time of a famous victory at the Parc des Princes when a questionable handball decision against Tino Livramento handed Kylian Mbappe the chance to snatch a point, and it was one he took with some aplomb.

Asked if he felt a sense of injustice, Magpies boss Eddie Howe replied: “Yes, I do. It wasn’t the right decision in my opinion.

“There are so many things to take into account at that moment, the speed first. It was a ricochet that when it is slowed down, looks completely different to the live event.

“The ball hits his chest first, comes up and hits his hand. But his hand is not in an unnatural position, they (his hands) are down by his side, but he is in a running motion.

“I feel it is a poor decision and it’s hugely frustrating for us as you know how little time there is left in the game. There is nothing we can do about it now.”

Former Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer blasted the decision against his home town club “disgusting” and “s***”.

An unimpressed Shearer wrote on his X – formerly Twitter – account: “Do me a f****** favour man. What a load of s***.

“A superb battling away performance from every single player. Shouldn’t be spoilt by a disgusting decision. Well done @NUFC.”

Shearer’s former Newcastle team-mate Shay Given was equally unhappy with the decision, which brought back memories of the night in Paris that Thierry Henry’s handball which went unnoticed and cost the Republic of Ireland a place at the 2010 World Cup finals.

Given posted on X: “What a performance from the Toon. Terrible decision to give a penalty, not the first time I’ve left Paris with a controversial handball decision.”

Former Newcastle and England striker Michael Owen also criticised the penalty decision and the way the handball rule is being interpreted.

Owen wrote: “Heartbreaking for @NUFC. Such a good performance. Never in a million years is that a penalty.

“We are further away from applying consistency to the handball rule than we’ve ever been.”

TNT Sports pundit Ally McCoist branded Mr Marciniak’s decision “a disgrace”.

McCoist said: “It comes off his chest, then hits his left elbow. If that’s a penalty, we might as well forget about it.

“If we’re giving penalty kicks for that, it’s a disgrace. The whole night will be remembered by that decision.”

Colleague Jermaine Jenas, who spent more than three years of his playing career at St James’ Park, added: “It is a shocking decision – not in any walk of life is that a penalty. What is meant to do with his arms – wrap them around his back?

“I am fuming.”