Why Lautaro Martinez wasn't sent-off during Inter vs Arsenal as Champions League rules explained

Plenty of questions are being asked as to why Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez wasn't sent-off in the first half of their Champions League match against Arsenal. Within the opening 15 minutes, both he and Gabriel Magalhaes were shown yellow cards for clashing before a Gunners' corner was taken.

Though there was a lack of shots taken in the opening 45 minutes, there were plenty of major talking points with Mikel Merino firmly at the centre of two. As he attempted to head home a Gabriel Martinelli cross, Merino looked to have been cleaned out by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

However, no penalty was given - with VAR also checking the decision and agreeing - as replays showed the Swiss goalkeeper just getting a touch on the ball seconds before then flying into Merino. Just before the interval, Merino was also harshly penalised for a handball after blocking a Mehdi Taremi flick-on from a free-kick.

Speaking at half-time, Martin Keown offered his verdict on the incident, with the Arsenal hero far from pleased at the decision that was made. "It's extremely frustrating," he said on TNT Sports.

"The wording is, is the arm in an unnatural position? It certainly isn't.

"I don't know who determines that, but the referee has given it and VAR is never going to intervene. It's ruining our game and that's certainly ruined Arsenal's team talk there at half-time."

Ex-Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand, also in the TNT Sports studio, added: "The rules are different in different competitions and that's the confusing thing, not only for fans but us pundits watching the game."

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Hakan Calhanoglu confidently dispatched the penalty but, in the action which actually led to the set-piece, many were of the belief Lautaro should have been dismissed. After being fouled by William Saliba running on the break, the Argentina international gestured to the referee that Saliba should be cautioned.

In the Premier League, that would result in a yellow card being issued to the player, which would have been a second for the 27-year-old and, thus, a red card, but that rule does not apply in the Champions League. Several players are punished regularly for that offence domestically, but that's not the case in Europe with two different governing bodies determining the rules which constitutes a yellow card.