Diego Simeone’s fiery response to Julian Alvarez’s disallowed penalty

Atletico Madrid's elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid sparked many divided opinions, but undoubtedly, one of the most striking was from Diego Simeone, who appeared visibly upset by the disallowing of Julian Alvarez's penalty in the decisive shootout. In his usual direct and challenging style, the Argentine coach questioned the referee's decision to invalidate the Atletico Madrid forward's penalty, making a pointed statement: "Who has seen Julian touch the ball twice? Raise your hand."

With these words, Simeone made it clear that he disagreed with the referee's ruling, particularly as there was no clear contact at the moment of the incident that would justify the penalty being disallowed. The controversy grew even further when the play was reviewed, and no conclusive footage emerged to confirm the double touch. Simeone's reaction reflected the discontent of Atletico Madrid's fans, who felt that their team was unfairly penalised in such a crucial moment.

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The Disallowed Penalty: A Refereeing Error?

The play that sparked controversy in the penalty shootout

The key moment of the match came when Julian Alvarez stepped up to take his penalty in the shootout. The Atletico Madrid forward was preparing to give his team an advantage, but the referee decided to disallow his penalty due to an alleged double touch. According to the rules, a player cannot touch the ball twice intentionally in a penalty, and if this occurs, the penalty is deemed invalid.

At the time, the decision raised doubts, as there was no clear evidence showing that Alvarez had touched the ball with both feet. However, later, a more thorough analysis of the play revealed that, indeed, the forward had committed the double touch. Although some Atletico Madrid fans and players protested the decision, the review of the play confirmed that the referee had acted correctly.

Atletico Madrid's Elimination from the Champions League

Real Madrid advances, and Atletico Madrid departs with controversy

The clash between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, one of the most eagerly anticipated derbies in the Champions League, ended in a tense penalty shootout after neither team managed to settle the match during regular time or extra time. Despite the efforts of the Colchoneros, Real Madrid triumphed in the shootout, progressing to the quarter-finals.

Atletico Madrid's elimination left a bittersweet feeling among the players and fans, as the team fought hard throughout the match, but the penalty miss left them out of the competition. However, the controversy surrounding Alvarez's disallowed penalty took centre stage, and Simeone's response only intensified the tension in a match already filled with emotion and competitiveness.

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Now, after the defeat, the controversy remains, but Real Madrid marches on towards the next stage, while Atletico Madrid must focus on their domestic objectives.