The penalty rule in football: Why Julian Alvarez's kick vs Real Madrid was disallowed

Atletico Madrid players applaud their fans following their defeat to Real Madrid in the Chamnpions League at the Wanda Mtropolitano Stadium in Spain on March 13, 2025. [Atletico, Facebook]

In a dramatic Champions League encounter between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid last night, a controversial call overshadowed the nail-biting shoot-out that saw Atletico succumb 4-2 after a 1-0 victory in regulation time.

The spotlight fell on Julian Alvarez, whose penalty was controversially disallowed, igniting debates over the rules of the game and the intricacies of the shoot-out procedure.

Following a tense 1-1 draw on aggregate, Atletico faced their city rivals in a penalty shoot-out. The Argentinian striker stepped up as the second shooter after a stunning team performance, which had seen them push for a crucial equalizer.

His initial strike was a powerful one, slipping past Real's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and appearing to be a firm conversion. However, the joy was short-lived; after a VAR review lasting just over a minute, referee Szymon Marciniak ruled that Alvarez had inadvertently touched the ball with both feet before the kick was complete.

FA rules on penalties

According to the 2024/2025 Laws of the Game maintained by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), a penalty kick is deemed completed only when the ball has stopped moving, gone out of play, or the referee halts the game for an infraction. The law explicitly states that the kicker must not play the ball a second time before it has touched another player. This became the crux of the controversy surrounding Alvarez's attempt.

As the atmosphere in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium shifted from elation to confusion, many fans remained unaware that the penalty had been disallowed. This moment of uncertainty lingered as Federico Valverde, Real's next penalty taker, stood waiting, before Marciniak signaled the disallowance by mimicking the motion of crossing his arms to indicate the call.

In the aftermath of Alvarez's disallowed penalty, Marcos Llorente and Lucas Vazquez also missed their attempts, further intensifying the tension. Ultimately, Real Madrid triumphed, progressing to the next round of the tournament, while Atletico Madrid's hopes were dashed, leaving supporters in disbelief and stirring an ongoing conversation about the clarity and interpretation of penalty rules.