The Champions League last-16 clash between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid ended in a dramatic penalty shootout, but it was Julian Alvarez’s disallowed spot-kick that stole the headlines.
Atletico’s hopes of progressing were dashed in controversial circumstances as Real Madrid triumphed 4-2 on penalties at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
The Argentine forward was Atletico’s second penalty taker after a 1-0 victory in the second leg had levelled the aggregate score at 1-1.
Alvarez stepped up confidently and, despite slipping, sent a powerful shot past Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, hitting the underside of the crossbar and rippling the net. As Atletico fans erupted in celebration, the moment of joy quickly turned to confusion.
Referee Szymon Marciniak halted proceedings after a VAR check and ruled the penalty invalid, citing a breach of the rules. The review concluded that Alvarez had made contact with the ball twice—once with his striking foot and again with his standing foot as he slipped during the attempt.
Under the International Football Association Board (IFAB) Laws of the Game, a penalty taker cannot touch the ball a second time until it has been played by another player. This rule applies equally to regular play and penalty shootouts, where any second touch from the taker results in the penalty being disallowed.
Marciniak, who officiated the 2023 Champions League final, crossed his arms and pointed to his feet to signal the violation, sparking confusion among the crowd. The stadium scoreboard briefly displayed the score as 2-2 before the correction showed Real Madrid leading 3-1.
"The referee said when Julian got to the penalty spot he touched the ball with his standing foot, but the ball did not move," said Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid’s manager.
"I've never seen a penalty where they've called the VAR, but well, they would have seen that he touched it. I want to believe they saw he touched it.
"Did you see him touching the ball twice? Please whoever was present in the stadium and saw him touching the ball twice, the ball moving, please come forward and raise your hand. I don't see anybody with their hand raised so that's all I have to say... next question."
Courtouis, meanwhile, spotted the infringement during play and brought it up with the referee.
"I felt that there was something weird going on, so we said it straight to the referee and then it was confirmed that there was a double touch and it didn't count, so that obviously gives us the edge," he said.
"\[Alvarez\] slipped and he touched the ball twice and that is a missed penalty. You cannot touch the ball twice. That's bad luck but it's the rules."
The disallowed penalty marked a turning point in the shootout. Atletico’s Jan Oblak saved a penalty from Lucas Vazquez to reignite hope, but Marcos Llorente missed his attempt, and Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger sealed the victory with a composed finish into the corner.
The defeat was particularly bitter for Atletico, who have historically struggled in penalty shootouts against their city rivals. It marked the sixth time the two teams had faced off in a knockout match decided by penalties, with Real Madrid maintaining their perfect record.
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