Why Julian Alvarez penalty against Real Madrid was disallowed despite inconclusive replays

Julian Alvarez and the Atletico Madrid crowd thought he had successfully dispatched his penalty kick, only for an intervention from the VAR to determine he had kicked the ball twice

Officials determined that Julian Alvarez had touched the ball twice thanks to technology primarily used for semi-automated offsides.

Atletico Madrid crashed out of the Champions League to their fierce rivals Real Madrid after an agonising penalty shootout at the Wanda Metropolitano. Conor Gallagher had put the hosts in front, levelling the score 2-2 on aggregate after the first leg last week.

And the score remained that way for the entirety of normal and extra time, with the two La Liga title chasers unable to be separated. That forced a penalty shootout, with Real having won the previous five against their neighbours in all competitions.

Kylian Mbappe stepped up first for the European champions and dispatched from 12 yards, with Alexander Sorloth doing the same for Atleti. Jude Bellingham then smashed Real in front, before Alvarez – and the fever pitch home crowd – thought he had levelled it up.

The ex-Manchester City striker had slipped before he struck the ball, with his effort flying into the roof of the net. However, before Federico Valverde had taken his, referee Szymon Marciniak – after consulting with VAR – signalled the goal had been disallowed.

Valverde then made no mistake, and when Marcos Llorente hit the bar, it left Antonio Rudiger to score the winning penalty, despite Jan Oblak almost saving it.

That sparked wild scenes of celebrations for the visitors while Atleti were left ruing the hugely controversial decision. Replays were inconclusive as to whether Alvarez had touched the ball twice, but CBS Sports’ FIFA Rule expert Christina Unkel explained that technology within the ball allowed the decision to be made.

“It’s the rule, it’s simple, it’s straight, it’s been touched. But one thing to also take into remembering of this is that the VAR also has the technology of semi-automated offside technology, where they are able to see at that kick point and have that extra technology to say when there is a touch on that ball.

“So every time we have a strike here, we have that ability for that. There’s not a chip in the ball, which is what we saw at the World Cup here, but with that extra layer of technology gives that additional sequencing.

“So from a VAR perspective, they’re taking a look at not just a video, but as well as the touch points where semi-automated has about 26 different cameras looking at limb tracking technology, as well as a camera that’s on the ball in and of itself, which gives that VAR the ability to be more concise and direct and know when that ball was actually touched outside from the naked eye as well.”

Unkel continued: “So VAR will then come in on to the referee. The referee is always listening into the ear and waiting for a VAR to say ‘check complete’ before they continue with the next kick. So naturally when they’re saying ‘we’re checking, we’re checking’, the referee holds play on this.

“So at this point, VAR is not only looking at the video, but is also looking to see that sequencing with the semi-automated offside technology to give that confirmation, whether it’s not. Now, what I would like to have seen, and maybe the referee did, but from the angles that we looked at, is the referee be a little bit more demonstrative in indicating the VAR signal with the TV signal to really kind of help sell and explain the decision on the field.”

Real Madrid’s victory sets up a tie with Arsenal in the quarter finals in four weeks’ time after the Gunners wrapped up their demolition of PSV, drawing 2-2 on the night and winning 9-3 on aggregate.

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