UEFA release statement on controversial Real Madrid VAR decision and hint at major change

UEFA have backed up the decision to disallow Julian Alvarez's penalty vs Real Madrid but suggested the law could be changed in future.

Reigning European champions Real booked their place in the Champions League quarter finals on Wednesday, after beating neighbours Atletico Madrid in a highly contentious penalty shootout.

After the first three penalties had been converted, the hugely controversial turning point occurred. Alvarez believed he had levelled the scoring, finding the roof of the net despite slipping.

However, unbeknownst to the majority of the Wanda Metropolitano crowd, the decision was being checked by VAR, with the effort disallowed for what was adjudged as a double touched.

Atleti manager Diego Simeone angrily hit out at the decision., but while UEFA have hinted that a law change could be forthcoming, they insist the correct decision was made.

A statement reads: "Atlético de Madrid enquired with UEFA over the incident, which led to the disallowance of the kick from the penalty mark taken by Julián Alvarez at the end of yesterday’s UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid.

"Although minimal, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before kicking it. Under the current rule (Laws of the Game, Law 14.1), the VAR had to call the referee signalling that the goal should be disallowed.

"UEFA will enter discussions with FIFA and IFAB to determine whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly unintentional."

Simeone was understandably angry in his post-match press conference, asking journalists if they believed Alvarez had touched the ball twice.

He said: "I've just seen the images, the referee says Julian touches the ball with his supporting leg, but the ball doesn't move.

"That's debatable, whether it was a goal or not. But I'm proud of my players, I'm honestly happy, because we competed in an exemplary way."

The Argentine continued: "When Julian kicks [the penalty], the ball doesn't even move a bit. I imagine that they called the VAR and saw that he touched it. I want to believe that they'll have seen that he touched it."

Simeone then told journalists who were in the room: "Raise your hand, anyone who saw Julian touch it twice. Who is going to raise their hand? Nobody has raised their hand."

Ex-Atleti keeper Thibaut Courtois failed to find any sympathy after helping Real set up a quarter final with Arsenal. Courtois said: "I felt that he touched the ball twice and I told the referee. It's not easy to see that. It was a bit of bad luck. For UEFA, it's clear. I'm sick of this victimhood, always crying about things like this.

"Referees don't want to benefit one team or another in Spain or in Europe, for them it was clear. With the technology, in the VAR room they saw it clearly, they have a lot of cameras and a lot of images."