Ex-refs chief changes his mind over Rayan Cherki penalty incident vs Real Madrid
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Football Insider or go back to LFC Live.
Credit: Imago Rayan Cherki ‘went to ground too easily’ as Keith Hackett changes his mind on Man City penalty call vs Real Madrid Tue 17 March 2026 22:30, UK Rayan Cherki was not deserving of a penalty kick as Manchester City were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid.That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that referee Clement Turpin was correct not to punish Fran Garcia on Tuesday, 17 March.Before Bernardo Silva got himself sent off for handball on the line, and Vinicius Junior netted the resulting spot-kick, the Citizens had a penalty shout of their own, but it was turned down by the referee and VAR.Man City put up a good fight against Madrid, but in the end, the three-goal deficit from the round of 16 first leg was just too much to overcome, especially with 10 men in a 5-1 aggregate defeat. ⚽ Man City Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, tactical previews and expert breakdowns for every Manchester City fixture. VISIT THE MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Rayan Cherki was fouled inside the Real Madrid penalty areaThings could have been very different, though, had City been awarded a penalty in the early minutes of the game, and Hackett seemed to believe that the incident was completely missed at the Etihad.Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “In this incident, the defender appears to kick the Man City forward with his left foot, which came into contact with Cherki.“Man City were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty kick.”Credit: ImagoHowever, he later added, “I’ve seen another angle on the Cherki incident.
The defender managed to play the ball, and Cherki went to ground too easily, so no penalty kick.”Man City fans erupt over Fran Garcia footageThe majority of Man City supporters believe that Cherki and his teammates were “robbed” after not being awarded a penalty, but that is hardly surprising given the situation.It was certainly a contentious talking point, and the home fans have made their feelings very clear on social media after replays of the incident emerged shortly afterwards.No replays, no reviews. This is real Madrid— Javi (@Jtudu23) March 17, 2026 View Tweet It is unknown exactly how it would have changed the overall result, with Los Blancos still holding a considerable lead from the first leg, but City fans are certainly disappointed.
Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Man City Insider Access Get the full story from the Etihad Stadium and CFA with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the Etihad Campus.