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VAR chaos sparks 'ridiculous' Champions League scenes: 'Madness'

Tottenham and captain Harry Kane (pictured right) speaking to the Champions League referee (pictured middle) an offside decision and (pictured left) Antoine Greizmann frustrated.
Tottenham and captain Harry Kane (pictured right) were incensed when their 95th minute goal was ruled out for offside in the Champions League, while Atletico Madrid (pictured left) had a penalty and rebound saved after the full-time whistle. (Getty Images/Twitter)

Football fans have been left stunned after Tottenham and Atletico Madrid both suffered stoppage time heartbreak in the Champions League due to controversial VAR decisions.

Atletico needed a win against Bayern Leverkusen to keep their Champions League knockout hopes alive, which sparked a vibrant atmosphere at the Wanda Metropolitan.

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Fans were made to hold their breath in the Spanish capital as full-time approached and Atletico pushed for a winner with the scores deadlocked at 2-2.

And five-minutes elapsed with the referee calling full-time to seemingly send Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League.

But as the players stood on the pitch, the referee ran over to the VAR booth and sensationally granted Atletico a penalty for handball after a long check of the monitor.

Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso was enraged, but in the 98th minute Yannik Carrasco lined-up at the penalty spot to send Atletico through.

But in one of the craziest sequences of play seen in European football, Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved Carrasco's penalty.

The ball rebounded to Saul Niguez who remarkably hit the bar with a header.

It then rebounded to Reinaldo who hit the ball sweetly, but struck the penalty-taker Carrasco on the line to deny Atletico the win.

Football fans erupted at the bizarre scenes that unfolded in Spain.

The loss sends Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League, which marks the first time in five years they haven't qualified for the knockout stages.

Pressure will now heap on the outfit who have also endured a rocky start to La Liga and are eight points behind leaders Real Madrid.

Tottenham have goal ruled out in VAR drama

Tottenham and their fans endured similar heartache in Group D and are seeking answers to why Harry Kane's 95th minute goal was ruled out for offside.

The Premier League side were heading for disaster at home against Sporting Lisbon when Bentacur soared above the pack and equalised at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, seeking a win to secure qualification, Kane thought he scored the winner in the 95th minute in the dying embers of stoppage time.

But during the celebrations, VAR intervened and four minutes later eventually ruled that Kane was offside from Emerson's header.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte (pictured) shown a red during stoppage time.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte (pictured) is shown a red card by referee Danny Makkelie during the UEFA Champions League group match against Sporting Lisbon. (Photo by Steven Paston/PA Images via Getty Images)

This didn't sit well with the Tottenham players after they argued the ball had gone backwards, deflected off a Sporting player before Kane slotted it home.

This would mean the goal would stand.

However, in the confusion, VAR ruled that Kane was offside from the header.

Tottenham coach Antonio Conte's strident protests towards the referee meant he was sent off for dissent.

The football world erupted over the controversy and lamented the intervention of VAR.

The 1-1 result means Tottenham will travel to Marseille needing a point to secure qualification and a win for top spot.

Frankfurt and Lisbon both have chances to qualify in a tight group that will go down to the last game.

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich defeating Barcelona at the Camp Nou relegated the Spanish giants to the Europa League for the second year running.

The result heaps pressure on coach, and Barcelona legend, Xavi after a disastrous campaign.

Liverpool secured qualification, albeit in second spot after a poor start to their campaign, after defeating Ajax 3-0.

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