Jude Bellingham Disappointed By "Joke" Decision To Let Kai Havertz Retake Missed Penalty

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham called the decision to allow Kai Havertz to retake his missed Champions League penalty for Chelsea as a "joke".
Jude Bellingham Disappointed By "Joke" Decision To Let Kai Havertz Retake Missed Penalty
Jude Bellingham Disappointed By "Joke" Decision To Let Kai Havertz Retake Missed Penalty /

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham was not happy after a twice-taken Kai Havertz penalty saw his side exit the Champions League at the hands of Chelsea.

Dortmund traveled to Stamford Bridge with a 1-0 lead from the first leg of their last 16 encounter.

But Chelsea progressed to the quarter-finals after winning 2-0 in London.

Raheem Sterling leveled the aggregate score with a goal just before half-time on Tuesday night.

Chelsea were then awarded a penalty early in the second half.

Kai Havertz pictured scoring from a penalty kick for Chelsea against Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge in March 2023
Kai Havertz pictured scoring from a penalty kick for Chelsea against Borussia Dortmund :: IMAGO/PA Images/John Walton

The penalty was not initially given by on-field referee Danny Makkelie but a VAR review found that Marius Wolf had handled a Ben Chilwell cross.

Havertz then missed from 12 yards when his shot hit the post. But another VAR review granted him a second attempt.

The VAR informed Makkelie that Dortmund midfielder Salih Ozcan had been inside the penalty area when Havertz struck his shot.

Replays revealed that Ozcan was only marginally inside the area and that other players from both teams had been much closer to Havertz when he took his kick.

But Ozcan was specifically penalized for encroachment because he had intercepted and cleared the ball after it hit the post.

Havertz scored from his second penalty effort.

Speaking to BT Sport after the game, Bellingham suggested that the initial decision to award the penalty had been harsh due to the proximity between Wolf and Chilwell.

Jude Bellingham pictured during Borussia Dortmund's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea in March 2023
Jude Bellingham pictured during Dortmund's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea :: IMAGO/Revierfoto

Bellingham said: "I've not seen the incident back, but from where I was it looked pretty close."

After watching a replay of the incident, he added: "It is a yard or two away. I am not too sure. I don't want to get in trouble." 

Bellingham then blasted the decision to punish Ozcan for encroachment, suggesting that Havertz had prompted this with his deliberately slow run-up.

"That [handball call] in itself was disappointing but the fact they had a retake is a joke.

"For every penalty with such a slow run-up there is going to be encroachment by people running into the box by a yard or so.

"But that's the game. They've made the decision and we've had to live with it."


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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.