Controversy over Alvarez's penalty: referee Marciniak defends himself

The refereeing decision that led to Atlético Madrid's elimination in the Champions League round of 16 continues to stir controversy. Szymon Marciniak, the referee of the match, sought to clarify the facts following accusations of influence from Kylian Mbappé.

During the penalty shootout, a penalty scored by Julian Alvarez was disallowed for double contact with the ball. A controversial decision, seen by some as a blatant injustice. Accused of being influenced by Kylian Mbappé's gestures and protests, referee Marciniak responded on WinWin:

That's completely false. I was the one who informed the VAR referees that there was a 99% chance Alvarez had touched the ball twice, and they checked. Honestly, I've never encountered such a situation in my refereeing career, but players know the rules.

However, the controversy does not stop there. Given the extent of the debate, UEFA and FIFA are now considering a review of the rules to prevent similar future cases.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr