UEFA Breaks Silence on Alvarez’s Disallowed Penalty – Rule Change Ahead
Julian Alvarez's penalty against Real Madrid was ruled out after a controversial VAR review. Credit:gettyimages
UEFA has issued an official statement regarding the disallowed penalty taken by Julian Alvarez in the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.
The last-16 tie was decided by a penalty shoot-out after both teams were level at 2-2 on aggregate following extra time.
What Happened?
The key moment came when Alvarez stepped up for Atletico’s fourth penalty with the score at 2-1 in Real Madrid’s favor. As he struck the ball, he slipped, causing him to make two contacts—one with his standing foot and the other with his kicking foot.
Initially, the goal was given as the ball flew into the net, but after a VAR review, it was ruled out because double touches are not allowed in penalty kicks. This meant the score remained 2-1 to Real Madrid, and Fede Valverde later converted his kick to make it 3-1, sealing the victory for Madrid.
UEFA’s Official Statement
UEFA confirmed that Atletico Madrid contacted them for clarification on the decision. Their statement read:
“Atlético de Madrid enquired with UEFA over the incident, which led to the disallowance of the kick from the penalty mark taken by Julián Alvarez at the end of yesterday’s UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid.
“Although minimal, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before kicking it, as shown in the attached video clip. Under the current rule (Laws of the Game, Law 14.1), the VAR had to call the referee signalling that the goal should be disallowed.
“UEFA will enter discussions with FIFA and IFAB to determine whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly unintentional.”
Will the Rule Be Changed?
UEFA has announced that they will meet with FIFA and IFAB to discuss whether the rule should be adjusted in cases where a double touch is accidental.
The incident has sparked widespread debate, with many football fans and analysts questioning whether the existing penalty rule is too harsh in certain situations.
