Hackett Exclusive: Joao Pedro blamed as Chelsea penalty wrongly denied
Joao Pedro failed in an attempt to deceive the referee during the Club World Cup final between Chelsea and PSG, according to Keith Hackett.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the Brazil international, who has a reputation for simulation, could not do enough to convince the referee with his fall.
Enzo Maresca’s side caused plenty of issues for the reigning Champions League winners, with Cole Palmer netting a brace before the 23-year-old added a third before the half-time whistle.
Emotions spilt over for the French side, with Joao Neves sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair before Luis Enrique hit Chelsea’s striker in the throat, now likely facing a ban from FIFA, and this may have been the root cause.
Joao Pedro attempts to buy Chelsea penalty
Despite admitting that referee Alireza Faghani wrongly waved away Chelsea’s penalty call, the way in which Pedro threw himself to the floor under a challenge from Lucas Beraldo was too exaggerated.
The former Brighton man benefited from similar circumstances during a 1-1 draw with Arsenal back in January, going down far too easily after slight contact from William Saliba.
It might be a case of Pedro’s reputation helped make up Faghani’s mind, with VAR failing to get involved in the incident either, and luckily, it had no lasting outcome on the scoreline.
The Blues overcame all the odds to add another piece of silverware to the trophy cabinet, but having already been warned over Pedro’s disciplinary record, Maresca may need another word with his striker.
Lucas Beraldo escapes penalty in Club World Cup final
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “This is the danger that players face when they exaggerate their falls. The referee is not buying the fall, and on this occasion, it’s worked against the player.
“Having clearly been held, he chooses to exaggerate his fall. It should have been a penalty, and in England, it would have been because VAR would have intervened. But they didn’t, so end of story.
“You’ll notice that the player rolls and pulls away from the defender. If you’re walking down the street and you trip, your arms come out to protect the fall, and that’s an indication for the referee.
“That exaggeration shouldn’t be bought into, so the player got what he deserved.”