Real Madrid Player Provocation Referee To Annul Penalti Julian Alvarez

JAKARTA - Real Madrid qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals after beating city rivals, Atletico Madrid, through the 4-2 (aggregate 2-2) penalty shootout in the second leg in Metropolitano, Thursday, March 13, 2025, early morning WIB.

Los Blancos' victory drew controversy. The reason is, Julian Alvarez's penalty which managed to beat Thibaut Courtois was disallowed by the referee.

After checking VAR, the judge said that Alvarez had two touches so the penalty was invalid and decided to fail.

However, Real Madrid striker Rodrygo admitted that his team-mate played a role in revolving Alvarez's penalty for putting pressure on the referee.

"I was on the bench. The way the ball left its shoes was very strange, as if he had touched it twice."

"We have cameras behind us and they start screaming 'two touches, two touches'."

"Then, we started pressing the referee and he saw it," Rodrygo told TNT Sports Brazil.

However, Real Madrid Manager Carlo Ancelotti denied after the game that his staff had notified the referee of the incident.

He confirmed that the judge was aware of the incident from VAR officers.

Apart from that, Real Madrid qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals. After winning 2-1 in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, they lost 0-1 in Metropolitano so the aggregate drew 2-2 and had to be decided on penalties.

Los Blancos will face Arsenal in April 2025.