Diego Simeone is adamant that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) made the incorrect decision over Julian Alvarez’s spot-kick in Atletico Madrid’s Champions League exit to Real Madrid after a dramatic penalty shootout.
Simeone’s team crashed out of the competition within the last 16 in probably the most brutal of fashions with former Manchester City star Alvarez seeing a penalty controversially ruled out within the shootout against Atletico’s rivals.
The 25-year-old Argentine took the fourth kick within the shootout when Real had a 2-1 lead and slipped as he took his effort.
It looked like Alvarez had got away with it because the ball flew into the roof of the online but VAR then intervened as replays showed Alvarez connecting together with his right foot and the ball hitting his left leg for a double kick.
That went against the foundations, meaning Alvarez’s scored penalty was chalked off, with Real then occurring to get the job done to win the shootout 4-2.
Simeone was left furious in his post-match press conference after Atletico’s elimination, insisting ‘the ball didn’t move’ before asking reporters to ‘raise their hands’ in the event that they felt Alvarez was guilty of a double kick.
‘I just saw the image of the penalty,’ Simeone said. ‘The referee said that when Julián stepped and kicked, he touched the ball together with his foot, however the ball didn’t move.
‘That’s something to debate about whether it was a goal or not, but I’m pleased with my players.’
Asked if he was ‘sure’ about his view on Alvarez’s double kick, Simeone added: ‘When he plants his foot and kicks, the ball doesn’t move even a bit of bit.
‘But when VAR called it, I’ve never seen a penalty called by VAR, nevertheless it’s still valid, and so they’ll have seen that he touched it. I need to consider they’ll have seen that he touched it.’
Quizzed if he had spoken to Alvarez in regards to the double kick, Simeone said: ‘What did you see? Raise your hand in the event you think Julian knocked twice. I didn’t speak to him.’
Simeone refused to criticise his players after the match and urged them to maintain their heads held high, with Atletico back in motion on Sunday, as they face a La Liga clash against Barcelona.
‘Individuals are leaving with the pain of being eliminated, definitely,’ Simeone continued.
‘All of us desired to play in the ultimate, but knowing that their team gave it their all. There are two ways to fall asleep: one, saying how badly we played, we didn’t do what we needed to do; and the opposite is saying that we gave every thing.
‘This team gave every thing and deserved the applause the fans gave us in return. The fans were there yesterday, they were there today. It was a really beautiful day. We [don’t get to] proceed [in the Champions League], but I’m leaving in peace.’
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