Keith Hackett has strongly condemned Antonio Rudiger for what he described as a dangerous and deliberate stamp on a “vulnerable” area of Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly’s body.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former head of PGMOL and ex-FIFA referee expressed disappointment that VAR didn’t step in to review the incident, which he considered a clear case of violent conduct.
The clash took place during a tense Champions League encounter in Madrid, where Arsenal had taken control with a 3-0 first-leg victory. Despite Real Madrid’s aggressive approach in the return leg, it was Arsenal who were awarded the first penalty—only for Bukayo Saka’s Panenka attempt to be saved by Thibaut Courtois.
Tensions flared as the home crowd threw objects at Declan Rice during a corner, and Real had a penalty of their own overturned. Throughout the match, Madrid were accused of using overly aggressive tactics, with Rudiger’s foul on Lewis-Skelly standing out.
With the pressure mounting in the second half, Rudiger appeared to shove Lewis-Skelly to the ground and then stamped on his groin area—an act that caused visible pain to the Arsenal midfielder. Despite the severity of the foul, referee Francois Letexier did not issue a card.
Hackett, after reviewing the footage, said Rudiger’s actions were avoidable and should not be overlooked:
> “Rudiger made no effort to avoid stepping on a very sensitive area. VAR should’ve asked the referee to re-evaluate—it was violent conduct and should’ve been punished.”
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