A slip, a double touch, a missed penalty. Just like that, Atletico Madrid endured yet another heartbreaking loss to rival Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. Julian Alvarez slipped and double-touched the ball while taking his penalty kick in the shootout against Madrid on Wednesday, resulting in the goal being erased after video review confirmed the infraction. It would have tied the shootout 2-2. But Real Madrid eventually moved ahead 3-1 and won by a final score of 4-2 to advance to the quarterfinals and keep alive its hopes of winning the Champions League again. The referee did not initially see the double touch but Madrid players were calling it to his attention. pic.twitter.com/A6S1NchfCQ — elipeno (@elipeno) March 12, 2025 What The Rules Say According to the rules, after a first touch the penalty kicker “must not play the ball again until it has touched another player.” It the infraction happens during the match, than an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team. In a shootout, the goal doesn’t count. It was hard to tell from the images whether Alvarez’s standing left foot, which was the one that slipped, caused the first or the second touch on the ball. Reactions To Controversy “I felt that he touched the ball twice and I told the referee,” Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said. “It’s not easy to see that. It was a bit of bad luck for them there.” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said he didn’t notice the double kick in the process of the penalty being taken, but in the replays “it seemed that there was a second touch with his left foot.” “It hurts,” Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak said. “We played a great match but unfortunately we were a bit unlucky. It’s a shame. It hurts a lot.” Simeone Furious Atletico coach Diego Simeone said he didn’t see a double touch by the Argentina international but wanted “to believe that if the VAR intervened it’s because it saw something.” Simeone was left frustrated with referee Szymon Marciniak’s decision, saying that he was yet to see an image that conclusively showed that Alvarez touched the ball twice. “I’ve never seen the VAR called to review a penalty in a shootout… Never!” the Argentine told a press conference. “Did you see him touching the ball twice? Please whoever was present in the stadium and saw him touching the ball twice, the ball moving, please come forward and raise your hand! “I don’t see anybody with their hand raised so that’s all I have to say… next question.” (With inputs from Agencies)