UEFA Amends ‘Double-touch’ Penalty Law After Atletico’s Controversial UCL Exit
A change has been made to the rules governing penalty kicks, following the controversial disallowance of Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez’s spot-kick against Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League shootout in March.
The previous ruling, which invalidated the goal due to a ‘double touch’, has now been amended.
Going forward, if a penalty taker unintentionally strikes the ball with both feet and scores, the penalty will be retaken instead of being declared void, a significant shift from the earlier regulation, which considered such attempts as misses.
The initial decision played a role in Atlético Madrid’s elimination from the competition, prompting the club to lodge a formal protest with UEFA.