Iuliana Demetrescu awards controversial penalty in Champions League match

A controversial penalty decision by Romanian referee Iuliana Demetrescu altered the outcome of the UEFA Women's Champions League match between Paris FC and Arsenal.

In the 87th minute, Arsenal defender Leah Williamson inadvertently handled the ball while attempting to take a goal kick during active play. Demetrescu awarded a penalty to Paris FC, which Maeline Mendy converted to equalize the match. The result prevented Arsenal from securing a victory, leaving them two points behind leader FC Barcelona, while Paris FC earned its first point of the group stage.

The officiating crew was predominantly Romanian, featuring assistants Bianca Florea and Ana Pușcașu, with Elena Gobjila from Moldova serving as the fourth official.