The European Union Football Association (UEFA) has issued a statement regarding the ‘double’ penalty kick that Julian Alvarez took during Atletico Madrid’s Champions League next-round loss to Real Madrid.
After claiming a 1-0 victory over Real in the second leg of the match at the Wanda Metropolitano, Atletico Madrid advanced to the penalty shootout.
For the team coached by Diego Simeone, the only goal of the match was scored by midfielder Conor Gallagher in the first minute. Angel Correa came close to winning the game during the normal time period.
Subsequently, the match was decided by penalties, which Real won by a score of 4-2 to ensure that they would advance to the quarterfinals and play Arsenal in the next round.
However, there was a significant point of contention regarding Alvarez’s penalty kick, which he initially scored beyond Thibaut Courtois’s reach.
The penalty kick that was successful was initially upheld, but it was later overturned by the video assistant referee (VAR) because it was determined that the Argentine had kicked the ball with both feet from the penalty spot.
After the match, a number of perspectives emerged that seemed to demonstrate that Alvarez had, in fact, kicked it with both feet; however, fans argued for both of these potential interpretations.
The European Union Football Association (UEFA) has now provided clarification regarding a significant aspect of their decision-making process regarding the ‘double kick’ that he committed.
According to Miguel Delaney, UEFA has confirmed that the only individuals who were able to determine whether or not Alvarez had kicked the ball twice were the officials from the video assistant referee (VAR), and that no other sensors or technology were utilised to assist in this determination.
Kylian Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid, was the one who noticed the potential infraction, and he immediately asserted that a double touch had occurred.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision, but he refrained from criticising the video assistant referees in his post-match interview.
He stated, “I looked at the picture of the punishment just now.” During the time that Julian stepped and kicked, the referee stated that he made contact with the ball with his foot. Despite this, the ball did not move.
“That is something that should be discussed regarding whether or not it was a goal, but I am proud of my players,” the coach said.
According to him, the ball does not move in any way, shape, or form when he kicks and plants his foot. On the other hand, if the video assistant referee (VAR) called it, while I have never witnessed a VAR call a penalty, it is still valid, and they will have seen that he touched it. I have a strong desire to believe that they will have noticed that he touched it.
