UEFA weighs changes to penalty rule after Julian Alvarez controversy

UEFA announced on Thursday that it will consider a potential rule revision following the controversial disallowance of Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez's penalty in their Champions League shootout loss to Real Madrid.

Real Madrid secured a 4-2 shootout victory after a 2-2 aggregate draw, but Atletico coach Diego Simeone expressed doubts over the decision to rule out Alvarez’s goal.

The Argentina international was deemed by VAR to have unintentionally touched the ball twice—first with his standing foot as he slipped, before striking it into the net.


"Although minimal, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before kicking it," UEFA stated. "Under the current rule, the VAR had to call the referee, signaling that the goal should be disallowed."


In light of the controversy, UEFA confirmed plans to engage in discussions with FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to review the rule on unintentional double touches during penalties.

"UEFA will enter discussions with FIFA and IFAB to determine whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly unintentional," the statement added.

Simeone, addressing the press, said he wanted to believe the officials had made the correct decision but remained skeptical. He challenged journalists to confirm whether they had seen a replay clearly showing Alvarez’s double touch.

"Raise your hand, anyone who saw Julian touch it twice. Who is going to raise their hand? Nobody has raised their hand," Simeone remarked, emphasizing his frustration with the ruling.

With UEFA now considering a review, potential changes to the penalty rule could be on the horizon in future competitions.