UEFA ADJUSTS ‘DOUBLE-TOUCH’ PENALTY RULE AFTER ATLETICO’S CONTROVERSIAL UCL EXIT
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By: Sefiu Ajape
UEFA has updated the rules on penalty kicks following the controversy surrounding Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez’s disallowed spot-kick against Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League shootout in March.
Under the previous rule, the goal was ruled out due to a ‘double touch’. However, this regulation has now been revised.
Moving forward, if a player unintentionally strikes the ball with both feet during a penalty and scores, the kick will be retaken rather than deemed invalid — marking a significant change from the earlier rule, which treated such attempts as missed penalties.
The initial decision played a role in Atlético Madrid’s elimination from the competition, prompting the club to lodge a formal protest with UEFA.
In response, UEFA referred the matter to FIFA and the International Football Association Board, the body responsible for football’s rulebook.
Following deliberations, IFAB stated that, “When the penalty taker accidentally kicks the ball with both feet simultaneously or the ball touches their non-kicking foot or leg immediately after the kick: If the kick is successful, it is retaken rather than rule out.
“If the kick is unsuccessful, an indirect free kick is awarded (unless the referee plays advantage when it clearly benefits the defending team) or, in the case of penalties (penalty shoot-out), the kick is recorded as missed.
“This situation is rare, and as it is not directly covered in Law 14, referees have understandably tended to penalise the kicker for having touched the ball again before it has touched another player, thus awarding an indirect free kick to the opposition or, in the case of penalties (penalty shoot-out), recording the kick as missed.”
This adjustment addresses concerns about fairness and aligns the laws with the realities of match situations, where such accidental occurrences can happen under pressure.
Julián Álvarez thought he had successfully converted his penalty during Atlético Madrid’s Champions League round-of-16 second-leg shootout against Real Madrid, with the scoreboard briefly showing a 2-2 tie.
But the celebrations were short-lived. Real Madrid players quickly appealed, claiming Álvarez had made contact with the ball using his standing foot.
A VAR review confirmed the double touch, and referee Szymon Marciniak ruled the goal out.
Following the decision, Atlético missed more penalties, allowing Los Blancos to progress to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain clinched their maiden UEFA Champions League crown on Saturday with an emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan, the most lopsided scoreline ever recorded in a final since the tournament’s inception in 1956.
The commanding performance capped off a remarkable season for the French side, completing a treble that also included titles in Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France.
Achraf Hakimi set the tone early, scoring in the 12th minute against his former club. Rising star Désiré Doué, just 19 years old, netted twice to become the first teenager to bag a brace in a final since the legendary Eusébio led Benfica past Real Madrid 5-3 in 1962.
PSG’s dominance continued as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and substitute Senny Mayulu added their names to the scoresheet, sealing a night of glory for the Parisian giants.
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