Julian Alvarez and the disallowed penalty: UEFA releases video and official statement

The penalty taken by Julian Alvarez in the UEFA Champions League match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid continues to spark controversy. The decision to disallow the penalty has led to a series of inquiries from Atletico Madrid, which quickly approached UEFA for clarification regarding the incident. This event has attracted attention due to the interpretation of the rules and the potential implications for future refereeing decisions in similar situations.

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The Incident and the Referee's Decision: The Double Touch That Caused Controversy

Julian Alvarez’s penalty, which initially seemed to be a clean action, was disallowed by the referee after a VAR review. Although Alvarez's contact with the ball was minimal, it was detected that the player made contact with the ball with his support foot before striking it. According to the official video provided, the VAR review showed that this double touch, although almost imperceptible, met the criteria to be considered an infringement.

According to FIFA's Laws of the Game, specifically Law 14.1, any double touch involving the ball with the support foot must be penalised. The VAR intervention was crucial in prompting the referee to disallow the goal, signalling that Alvarez’s effort had to be invalidated. However, such situations, where the contact seems clearly unintentional, have sparked uncertainty over the strict application of the rule.

UEFA Responds to Atletico Madrid's Inquiry: An Open Debate

After the penalty was disallowed, Atletico Madrid wasted no time in submitting an inquiry to UEFA, seeking an explanation for the incident that defined the match's outcome. The controversy arose due to the perception that the double touch made by Alvarez was unintentional and almost imperceptible. The Spanish club requested a detailed review of the process and, particularly, the interpretation of the rule that led to the disallowance of the goal.

UEFA responded by confirming that under the current rules, VAR was required to intervene to ensure the goal was disallowed. Despite this analysis, UEFA has opened the door to a debate about whether Law 14.1 should be amended to allow more flexibility in situations where the double touch is clearly involuntary.

The Debate on the Laws of the Game: Should They Be Amended in Cases of Unintentional Double Touches?

This incident has led UEFA to engage in discussions with FIFA and the IFAB (International Football Association Board), the body responsible for setting football's laws. UEFA has expressed its intention to review whether the current application of Law 14.1 is the most appropriate, particularly in cases like Julian Alvarez’s, where the contact with the ball seems unintentional.

The dilemma lies in whether an action that is clearly involuntary, such as the small touch with the support foot, should be penalised in the same way as an intentional double touch. UEFA intends to discuss this issue with FIFA and IFAB to determine if there is a possibility of revising or modifying the rule in such cases.

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The Official Video: A Key Factor in the Referee's Decision

UEFA has released an official video that clearly shows the moment when the ball made contact with Julian Alvarez’s support foot, explaining the reason behind the penalty’s disallowance. The video provides clear evidence of the incident, allowing viewers to understand the referee and VAR’s decision on the pitch.

This video also serves as a crucial tool in understanding how the laws are applied in such delicate situations. Transparency in the review process and the ability to view the incident from different angles have been key in comprehending the disallowed goal.