Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone stated he “wished to consider” the VAR noticed Julian Alvarez contact the ball twice in final evening’s dramatic penalty shoot-out defeat to Actual Madrid within the Champions League.
Alvarez was deemed to have kicked the ball on to his standing foot and the spot-kick was dominated out, though it wasn’t instantly clear from the replays.
A more in-depth have a look at THAT penalty from Julián Alvarez 😱 pic.twitter.com/HdyUQ0TeOE
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) March 13, 2025
With Marcos Llorente additionally lacking for Atletico, in addition to Lucas Vazquez for Madrid, it was left to Antonio Rudiger to squeeze the profitable penalty previous Jan Oblak to ship Carlo Ancelotti’s males by to a quarter-final assembly with Arsenal.
Simeone questions determination
It was Alvarez’s penalty that dominated the post-match dialog and Simeone was not satisfied it was the best name.
“I’ve simply seen the photographs, the referee says Julián touches the ball along with his supporting leg, however the ball doesn’t transfer,” he stated. “That’s debatable, whether or not it was a aim or not. However I’m pleased with my gamers, I’m actually completely happy, as a result of we competed in an exemplary manner.
“When Julián kicks [the penalty], the ball doesn’t even transfer a bit. I think about that they referred to as the VAR and noticed that he touched it. I wish to consider that they’ll have seen that he touched it.”
Atleti won 1-0 on the night thanks to Conor Gallagher’s goal in the opening minute however have been unable to discover a second throughout a recreation excessive in vitality however low in high quality.
“Are you afraid as a result of you are going to be punished?” 🤐
Diego Simeone reacts to Julian Alvarez drama after Atletico Madrid’s Champions League exit.
🎥 UEFA2025 pic.twitter.com/2sNDlksUZe
— Sky Sports activities Information (@SkySportsNews) March 13, 2025
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois thought the best determination had been made relating to Alvarez’s spot-kick and each he and his team-mates have been fast to make their level to on-field referee Szymon Marciniak.
“I felt that he touched the ball twice and I informed the referee,” the Belgian stated. “It’s not straightforward to see that.”
He was unimpressed, nevertheless, by Simeone questioning the integrity of the VAR.
“For UEFA, it’s clear. I’m sick of this victimhood, at all times crying about issues like this. Referees don’t wish to profit one crew or one other in Spain or in Europe, for them it was clear. With the expertise, within the VAR room they noticed it clearly, they’ve quite a lot of cameras and quite a lot of photographs.”
