Real Madrid's penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16 of the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League on March 12, 2025, has sparked massive backlash on social media.

After a 2-2 aggregate scoreline over two legs, the match went to penalties, where Real Madrid triumphed 4-2 to advance to the quarter-finals, setting up a clash with Arsenal.

However, controversy erupted during Atlético Madrid's penalty shootout when Julián Álvarez stepped up to take his spot-kick. Álvarez slipped as he struck the ball, which then hit the goalpost before going into the net.

Following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, officials ruled that Álvarez had made an illegal second touch with his left foot before shooting with his right, thereby breaching penalty rules.

As a result, Polish referee Szymon Marciniak and his officiating team disallowed the goal, giving Real Madrid a crucial advantage.

This decision led to accusations from some football fans, who claimed the officiating was biased in favor of Real Madrid.

However, according to the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the governing body responsible for football laws, Law 10.3 states that if a double kick occurs during a penalty shootout, it is recorded as a miss.

"If the kicker is penalized for an offence committed after the referee has signaled for the kick to be taken, that kick is recorded as missed, and the kicker is cautioned," the law states.

Additionally, IFAB Law 14.2 clarifies that if a double kick occurs during regular play, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team.

"If the kicker touches the ball again before it has touched another player, an indirect free kick (or a direct free kick for a handball offence) is awarded," the law states.

Based on these laws, the VAR officials' decision to disallow Álvarez's penalty goal appears to be the correct call, despite widespread criticism from some football fans.

Despite the controversy, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has yet to officially address the incident.

Meanwhile, watch as football fans slam NPP over misleading betting tax comments



SB/MA