In a dramatic and controversial turn of events, Atletico Madrid were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 by their fierce city rivals, Real Madrid, in a penalty shootout on Wednesday night. The match, which ended in a 2-2 aggregate draw after extra time, hinged on a contentious decision to disallow a penalty kick from Atletico’s star forward, Julian Alvarez, sparking outrage and debate across the footballing world.
The incident occurred during the penalty shootout at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, where Atletico were attempting to level the score at 2-2 after Real Madrid had taken a 3-1 lead in the shootout. Alvarez stepped up as Atletico’s second shooter and, despite slipping as he struck the ball, managed to send it into the roof of the net past Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Initially, the goal was celebrated by the home crowd, but confusion quickly descended as referee Szymon Marciniak consulted the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
After a brief review, Marciniak ruled that Alvarez had touched the ball twice during his penalty attempt, an action prohibited under the International Football Association Board (IFAB) Law 14.1, which states: “The kicker must not play the ball again until it has touched another player.” Replays showed that as Alvarez slipped, his standing left foot made slight contact with the ball before his right foot struck it, leading to the VAR intervention and the subsequent disallowance of the goal.
The decision proved pivotal. Real Madrid went on to win the shootout 4-2, with successful penalties from Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, and Antonio Rudiger, advancing them to the Champions League quarter-finals to face Arsenal. Atletico’s elimination was sealed when Marcos Llorente’s subsequent penalty was saved by Courtois, compounding the frustration for the home side.
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone was visibly incensed by the call. In his post-match press conference, he challenged reporters, saying, “Raise your hand if you’ve seen Julian kick the ball twice.” When no one responded, he continued, “The referee said when Julian got to the penalty spot, he touched the ball with his standing foot, but the ball did not move. I’m yet to see an image that conclusively shows he touched it twice.” Simeone’s comments reflected the confusion and disbelief that permeated the Atletico camp, with the manager arguing that the evidence was insufficient to overturn the on-field decision.
The incident has reignited debates about the use of VAR in football, particularly in high-stakes moments like penalty shootouts. Critics argue that the decision was overly harsh, pointing out that Alvarez’s slip was unintentional and did not provide him with any advantage. “Put bluntly, what player is going to try and touch a penalty twice? It makes it much harder to score,” wrote Miguel Delaney in The Independent. “There’s no advantage, and arguably only disadvantage.
UEFA has since clarified that the decision was made solely using camera footage, with no in-ball technology employed, as such systems are currently limited to men’s and women’s European Championships and not the Champions League. This revelation has fueled further criticism, with some questioning whether the evidence met the “clear and obvious error” threshold required for VAR to intervene.
Atletico fans and neutral observers alike have taken to social media to express their frustration, with some labeling the call a “historic robbery.” One X user wrote, “The Julian Alvarez penalty kick is all the evidence we needed towards proving that Real Madrid has some pact with the devil in the Champions League.” Others have questioned whether the ball actually moved due to the double touch, with some suggesting that Alvarez’s foot merely disturbed the turf rather than the ball itself.
The disallowed penalty adds yet another chapter to the storied rivalry between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. This latest defeat marks the sixth time Atletico have been eliminated by their neighbors in Champions League knockout ties this century, including two finals. For Atletico, the loss is a bitter pill to swallow, especially given their strong performance across the tie, which saw Conor Gallagher score within the first minute of the second leg to level the aggregate score.