Atletico Madrid Coach Diego Simeone Shocked Over Julian Alvarez’s Cancelled Penalty

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone expressed his astonishment over the controversial decision made by the video assistant referee (VAR) that ultimately contributed to his team’s elimination from the Champions League on Wednesday night.

During a tense penalty shootout against their fierce rivals Real Madrid, Julian Alvarez saw his penalty attempt ruled out by VAR, a decision that significantly shifted the momentum of the match. Real Madrid capitalized on this turning point, finishing the shootout with a 4-2 victory, thereby advancing to the quarterfinals of the prestigious tournament.

Alvarez, stepping up to take the fourth penalty for Atletico after successful conversions from teammates Kylian Mbappe, Alexander Sorloth, and Jude Bellingham, appeared to lose his footing just before striking the ball. Despite this slip, he managed to connect powerfully, sending the ball crashing into the roof of the net.

However, as Federico Valverde prepared to take the next kick for Real Madrid, the shootout was abruptly halted as VAR initiated a review of Alvarez’s attempt. Upon closer inspection, officials observed that Alvarez’s standing foot had unintentionally made contact with the ball during his slip before he struck it, leading to the contentious ruling of a double touch by the referee.

In his post-match comments, Simeone passionately contested the decision, stating, “To anyone here: raise your hand if you saw that Julián touched the ball twice in the penalty. Come on! And? Ready? Nobody raises theirs. Another question: I’ve never seen VAR call to review a penalty in a shootout.”

With the victory, Real Madrid not only triumphed over their city rivals but also secured their place in the quarterfinals, where they will face Arsenal in April.