Penalty for PAOK disallowed after VAR review for Vida handball

A penalty awarded to PAOK was disallowed after a video assistant referee (VAR) review during their match against AEK. The incident occurred in the 27th minute of the game, involving a potential handball offense by AEK defender Vida.

The sequence began when PAOK forward Banza provided a pass to teammate Ntiague. Ntiague took a shot on goal, and the ball made contact with Vida's left hand. Initial observations by the on-field officials suggested that the hand was positioned close to Vida's body at the moment of impact.

Despite the initial assessment, referee Evangelou pointed to the spot, awarding a penalty kick to PAOK. However, the decision was subject to review by the VAR team. VAR official Fabri, an Italian referee, communicated with Evangelou and requested that he examine the footage on the sideline monitor to reassess the situation.

After reviewing the incident, Evangelou changed his original ruling. The referee determined that the contact did not warrant a penalty, likely due to the position of Vida's arm relative to his body. Consequently, the penalty was cancelled, and play resumed without a spot-kick for PAOK.