UEFA has announced plans to review penalty rules following the controversial disallowing of Julian Alvarez‘s spot kick during Atletico Madrid’s Champions League exit against Real Madrid.
In the dramatic penalty shootout, Alvarez slipped while taking his kick, resulting in a double touch of the ball before it went past Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.
The video assistant referee (VAR) intervened, and the goal was disallowed, leading to Real Madrid’s 4-2 shootout victory.
UEFA, acknowledging that the law was correctly applied in this instance, has stated that it will engage with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and FIFA to review the current regulations concerning unintentional double touches during penalties.
Article 14.1 of IFAB’s Laws of the Game stipulates that “the kicker must not play the ball again until it has touched another player.”
In its official statement, UEFA explained, “Under the current rule (Laws of the Game, Law 14.1), the VAR had to call the referee signalling that the goal should be disallowed.”
This incident has ignited debate about the interpretation of the rule, particularly in cases where a double touch is accidental, like Alvarez’s slip.
The review aims to explore potential adjustments to ensure fairness and prevent similar controversies in the future. It also added to Atletico’s poor penalty record against their rivals, having lost all six shootouts against Real Madrid.
