UEFA addresses potential change to double-touch rule following Julian Alvarez's controversial disallowed penalty against Real Madrid in Champions League clash.
UEFA has released a statement following the controversy during Real Madrid’s Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Real Madrid secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals by defeating city rivals Atletico in a penalty shootout on Wednesday. The match was filled with drama as VAR disallowed Julian Alvarez’s penalty for a double touch. UEFA has since released an update, confirming that the rule may be revised.
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
A statement read: “Atletico de Madrid contacted UEFA regarding the incident that led to the disallowance of Julián Alvarez’s penalty at the end of the UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid. Although slight, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before striking it, as shown in the attached video. According to the current rule (Laws of the Game, Law 14.1), the VAR was required to inform the referee that the goal should be disallowed. UEFA will engage in discussions with FIFA and IFAB to consider whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly accidental.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Atletico questioned the decision to disallow Alvarez’s penalty after the match. Alvarez appeared to slip while taking the kick, and manager Diego Simeone argued it was unclear whether he had made two contacts with the ball: “I’ve seen the images; the referee says Julián touched the ball with his supporting leg, but the ball doesn’t move. That’s debatable—whether it was a goal or not. But I’m proud of my players, I’m honestly happy because we competed in an exemplary way.”
Any additional contact from Alvarez was minimal, and it’s hard to see what advantage, if any, he gained. However, Atletico’s move to reach out to UEFA about the incident could now prompt a review of the rules.
WHAT NEXT?
Any potential rule change will come too late for Atletico, who have already been eliminated from the competition, while Real Madrid advance to face Arsenal in the quarter-finals. Diego Simeone’s team will now focus on bouncing back in a crucial La Liga showdown against Barcelona on Sunday.
