UEFA Explains Why Julián Álvarez’s Penalty Was Cancelled, To Review Law

UEFA has officially addressed the ongoing controversy regarding Julián Álvarez’s disallowed penalty during the highly publicized Champions League encounter between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid, confirming that the Argentine striker inadvertently made a double touch before successfully converting his penalty kick.

The controversy erupted after Julián Álvarez’s penalty was ruled out, prompting UEFA to announce initiatives aimed at reviewing the existing regulations surrounding double-touch penalties.

This decision follows Atlético Madrid’s formal request for clarification on a situation that played a pivotal role in their abrupt elimination from the prestigious tournament.

In a detailed statement released on Thursday, UEFA disclosed that Atlético Madrid sought clarification on the incident which ultimately led to the disallowance of Álvarez’s penalty at a critical juncture late in the match.

“Atlético de Madrid enquired with UEFA regarding the incident that resulted in the annulment of the penalty taken by Julián Álvarez during the concluding moments of yesterday’s UEFA Champions League clash against Real Madrid,” the statement explained.

UEFA’s assessment, corroborated by video analysis, confirmed that Álvarez made inadvertent contact with the ball using his non-kicking foot just before striking it, thereby constituting a breach of Law 14.1 of the Laws of the Game.

“While the contact was minimal, it was clear that the player inadvertently touched the ball with his standing foot before the kick, as demonstrated in the accompanying video clip. Under the current regulations (Laws of the Game, Law 14.1), the VAR was compelled to inform the referee, resulting in the goal’s disallowance,” UEFA clarified.

The ruling triggered a wave of controversy across the football community, inciting passionate reactions from fans, analysts, and Atlético’s head coach, Diego Simeone, as the club faced elimination from the tournament heartbreakingly.

In light of the situation, UEFA indicated that it would engage in discussions with FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) on the necessity to potentially revise the rules concerning double touches, especially in instances where the infraction appears to be unintentional.

“UEFA will initiate conversations with FIFA and IFAB to explore whether the current regulations should be reconsidered in scenarios where a double touch is evidently unintentional,” the statement concluded.