The penalty kick was shocking and reversed! IFAB s new rules heavy hammer: Alvarez should have been punished with a heavy penalty, but Real Madrid s advancement was controversial!

Event Review: The Champions League controversial penalty ruined Atletico Madrid

The 2025 Champions League 1/8 finals, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid's penalty shootout to the second round, Atletico Madrid forward Alvarez (Spider Little) scored a penalty kick, VAR intervened and determined that his support foot accidentally touched the ball to constitute a "second touch", and the goal was judged invalid. Atletico Madrid eventually lost 2-4 and was eliminated. After-match controversy broke out: Is

touching established? Slow motion shows that Alvarez's left foot slipped slightly, which was suspected to be in contact with the shooting track of his right foot, but the picture is difficult to confirm 100%.

Atletico Madrid protested fiercely: coach Simeone questioned the referee in public; Atletico Madrid complained to UEFA, saying that the rules require that "the ball moves significantly constitutes an violation", and this time the ball is very small.

Player's mind: Alvarez admitted: "I watched the replay for a million times, and the touch was too slight, and I couldn't determine whether it was violated."

📜 Interpretation of the new IFAB regulations: If the two accidents are in trouble, you must be punished severely!

On June 3, 2025, the FIFA Council (IFAB) issued an announcement, clarifying the new standards for the penalty for a second touch of penalty (effective on July 1, 2025):

Unintentional double touch (such as slipping and causing both feet to touch):

If the penalty is scored → Heavy penalty

If the penalty is not scored → Indirect free kick (or missed in penalty shootout)

Intentional double touch: Indirect free kick is scored (missed in penalty shootout).

Key subversion: Alvarez's goal was cancelled before, but according to the new regulations, accidentally hit the ball and the penalty should be severely punished rather than invalid! This means Atletico Madrid should have had a chance to remedy.

💬 Sports law expert Tony Roca:

"The rules require that the ball moves significantly to constitute the game'. Alvarez's touch is almost invisible, and canceling the goal is a misjudgment. Atletico Madrid can even ask for a penalty shootout again!"

🔍 The core of the dispute: the fuzzy rules and the limitations of human subjectivity

VAR: It is still difficult to determine the subtle touch of the ball in replaying from multiple angles, and the referee ultimately relies on subjective inference.

Historical double standards? Similar cases (such as Mahrez's penalty kick) can be sentenced to heavy penalties because the defender enters the penalty area in advance, but the referee chooses to make a violation of the rules, which exposes too much freedom of discretion.

Atletico Madrid fans' sorrow: Madrid Mayor Almeida angrily denounced: "The unfair cycle is taking place, we have the right to know how VAR makes a devastating judgment within 20 seconds!"

🌍 The impact of the new regulations: football rules are moving towards more humane

IFAB's revision hits two major pain points:

Distinguishing intention and accident: Avoid erasing effective goals due to technical violations (such as the Alvarez case).

Balanced goalkeeper's rights: If an unexpected two-touch leads to a change in the ball path affecting the goalkeeper, heavy penalties can ensure fairness.

Future enlightenment: Starting from the 2025/26 season, similar disputes will be handled in accordance with the new regulations, but the referee still faces challenges in determining "intentionality".

"From unjust cases to change! The little spider kicked out the rules revolution - IFAB made a name for "accident", soccer fairness no longer died from millimeter misjudgment."

Fans' hot topic:

"Real Madrid's promotion depends entirely on chip theory? No, this time it's the rules late!"