The second leg of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid was marred by controversy after Julian Alvarez was accused of touching the ball twice while taking a penalty during the decisive shootout. With a rising discussion, a multiple Ballon d’Or winner weighed in on the debate, calling UEFA out.
With the aggregate score tied at 2-2, the match went to penalties. Alvarez stepped up to take Atletico’s second attempt, successfully finding the back of the net. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed, ultimately costing Atletico Madrid their place in the quarterfinals.
Among those who voiced their frustration was three-time Ballon d’Or winner Marco van Basten. The former Ajax and AC Milan striker took to Instagram to call on UEFA to address the situation, firmly believing the decision was incorrect.
“I’m not for Real or Atletico, but Julian Alvarez touches the ball once. UEFA has a duty to fix this,” Van Basten wrote. Having previously worked as FIFA’s Technical Development Director, Van Basten’s opinion carries significant weight, making his call for UEFA’s intervention all the more impactful.
England legend Alan Shearer also joined the debate with an even stronger stance. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer criticized the decision: “I’ve looked at Julian Alvarez’s penalty shot over 100 times and I’m still trying to find the conclusive evidence that he touched the ball twice. It’s just total and utter crap,” Shearer stated bluntly.
see also
FIFA’s decision to end the controversy surrounding Julián Álvarez’s penalty
Atletico Madrid president rants about VAR
The controversy surrounding Alvarez’s penalty sparked outrage not only among fans and pundits but also at the executive level. Speaking to Telemundo Deportes, Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo condemned the decision and criticized VAR.
“Julian didn’t touch the ball more than once, he didn’t even graze it, and we have footage to prove it, but we can’t fight against the institutions,” Cerezo remarked, expressing his frustration with the ruling. He then voiced his ongoing disapproval of VAR, questioning its reliability:
“I don’t like VAR, but it’s not something I’m saying just now; I’ve always said it. I’m not criticizing VAR because of the mistake the other day, which was a mistake made by VAR, not the referee. It’s a conflicting tool, it’s not reliable. We all believed VAR was introduced to make soccer fairer, but I think it was brought in to make it more unfair, cause more problems, and increase criticism toward the referee and VAR,” explained Cerezo.
