MADRID – UEFA has announced plans to consider revisiting the “double touch” penalty rule following a controversial incident that influenced Atletico Madrid’s defeat in a penalty shootout against Real Madrid in the Champions League. These discussions will take place with FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to assess if modifications are warranted when a double touch appears to be unintentional.
This announcement arrives after Atletico Madrid’s 4-2 shootout loss to its city rival in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash. Despite Atletico’s 1-0 victory in regulation and extra time, Real Madrid advanced thanks to their prior 2-1 win in the initial leg.
The controversy unfolded when Atletico’s forward, Julián Álvarez, appeared to touch the ball with both feet during his shootout attempt. Due to a slip, Álvarez’s left foot inadvertently made slight contact before he shot with his right, and although this went unnoticed initially, Real Madrid players promptly urged a review, leading to a reversal of the decision. The said goal was disallowed following a video review that confirmed the double touch.
Despite replays, Atletico remained uncertain about the double touch occurrence and formally requested UEFA to re-evaluate the incident. UEFA responded by indicating that, based on the current “Laws of the Game,” specifically Law 14.1, VAR’s intervention was necessary to disallow the goal due to the detected double touch.
The double touch rule, as instituted by IFAB, is intended to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage during penalties by advancing the ball closer to the goal. When an infringement occurs during standard play—as opposed to a shootout—the opposing team receives an indirect free kick. Absent this rule, players might exploit opportunities to dribble the ball closer before shooting.
Similar situations have materialized in other competitions as well. Notably, a comparable incident took place during a 2023 Copa Libertadores shootout involving River Plate and Brazil’s Internacional. Pablo Solari’s slip-induced double touch led to VAR disallowing his goal, contributing to River Plate’s eventual elimination.
Additionally, questions arose regarding a potential double touch in a penalty taken during the Copa del Rey final and one by Lionel Messi during the 2022 World Cup final. Both instances occurred with referee Szymon Marciniak officiating, but neither penalty was disallowed.
Atletico’s coach, Diego Simeone, alongside Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, confessed to not noticing the double touch during the match. However, Real Madrid players, including Kylian Mbappé, brought it to the referee’s attention. Simeone refrained from dwelling on the VAR decision, though he admitted his surprise at such interference during a penalty shootout. He expressed a desire to trust that VAR acted based on solid evidence.
At his post-match press conference, Simeone invited journalists to signal if they witnessed Álvarez’s double touch, and upon seeing no response, he lightheartedly moved on to the next inquiry. Álvarez has yet to make a statement regarding the incident.
