Real Madrid have dominated Atletico in the Champions League, and have beaten them on every occasion the derby has gone to penalties. However, Wednesday’s defeat in the last 16 of the Champions League will be particularly frustrating for Diego Simeone’s side.
The turning point in the shootout came when Atletico midfielder Julian Alvarez’s penalty was disallowed in bizarre circumstances.
Here are three reasons why Alvarez’s spot-kick was ruled out.
1. Double touch: Alvarez touched the ball twice in one movement as he slipped while shooting, which is against the rules.
According to Article 14.1 of the IFAB laws of the game, “The kicker must not play the ball again until it has touched another player.”
2. Same law as rebound rule: The rule that disallowed Alvarez’s penalty is the same one that prevents players from scoring a rebound if their own penalty hits the post.
This law is in place to ensure fair play and prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage.
3. Indirect free-kick would be awarded in regular play: If the same incident had occurred during regular play, an indirect free-kick would have been awarded to the opposition.
This highlights the consistency in applying the rules, even in high-pressure situations like penalty shootouts.
In the end, it may seem harsh, even unfair, but rules are rules, and Real Madrid advance to face English giants Arsenal in the quarter-final.
