As stipulated in the International Football Association Board (IFAB)’s law 14, “The kicker must not play the ball again until it has touched another player.” If the kicker touches the ball twice before it contacts another player, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team.
This caused the controversy in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid yesterday during the penalty shootout involving Julian Alvarez. He slipped while taking his penalty resulting in a double contact with the ball, and VAR had to disallow the goal.
This incident thus proved pivotal as Atletico Madrid was eliminated following the shootout. This decision, however has sparked a lot of debates on the level of fairness of penalizing unintentional infractions during high-stake moments such as Yesterday’s.
Subsequently, in response, UEFA has initiated discussions with FIFA and IFAB to consider revising the rule to allow for a retake in cases of accidental double touches during penalties.
Atletico Madrid’s manager, Diego Simeone, expressed his frustration over the decision. He questions the interpretation of the rule and the role of VAR in such critical moments. He further emphasized the need for clarity and consistency in officiating to ensure that teams are not unfairly disadvantaged by technicalities.
He further commended his team for their effort in the Champions League as Julian Alvarez has been a pivotal figure for Atletico, delivering several standout performances in the Champions league. His two goals in Atletico’s 2 -1 comeback victory against Bayern Leverkusen had earned him the UEFA Champions League Player of the week accolade for Matchday 7.
Throughout the Champions League outing, Alvarez has consistently demonstrated his skill and determination, reinforcing his status as a key asset for Atletico Madrid.
Had Alvares’s kick counted, do you think it would have made a difference to the outcome?
The football world awaits the outcome of these discussions.
Source: footygazette.com
