Christina Unkel, rules specialist, has offered her thoughts on the contentious VAR ruling at the Wanda Metropolitano that denied Julian Alvarez’s penalty for allegedly double kick. Following Wednesday night’s penalty shootout loss to city rivals Real Madrid, the call ultimately played a part in Atletico Madrid’s Champions League elimination.
The decision’s correctness is still up for debate, despite the release of fresh film that provides the clearest look to date. Before Marcos Llorente’s missed penalty sealed Atletico’s fate, the former Manchester City attacker stumbled while striking the ball, which subsequently went past Thibaut Courtois.
However, the goal was ruled out. Former FIFA referee Unkel has clarified the problem, telling a perplexed CBS Sports studio that merely rewatching from multiple perspectives won’t provide the solution.
Rather, she referred to a more recent technology created especially for similar situations, which many people appear to have missed in their quest for solutions. When Kate Scott asked what the VAR procedure would have been in the seconds before Alvarez’s penalty was disallowed
Interview with Christina Unkel
Unkel said “The rule is simple and straight – it’s [the ball] been touched [twice].
“One thing to also take into consideration is that VAR also has the technology of semi-atuomated offside technology, where they are able to see when there is a touch on that ball.
“There’s not a chip in the ball like at the World Cup, but VAR will have not just looked at the video, but also monitored the touchpoints. The technology has about 26 cameras tracking limb movements, as well as a camera on the ball, which gives VAR the ability to be more precise.”
Continuation of the interview
She added: “The VAR will then call into the referee—the referee is always listening in on VAR discussions, waiting to hear ‘check complete’ before continuing to the next kick. At this point, VAR is not just looking at the video; they are also monitoring the sequencing of the semi-automated offside system to provide confirmation
Now, what I would have liked to have seen is the referee being a little more demonstrative of the VAR check, using the TV signal to show those on the field what is happening, so there is less confusion from a viewer’s perspective. But the rule is the rule, the law is the law, and with the millions spent on the game today, that’s what you get.”
Real Madrid defeated their derby rivals to guarantee their place in the Champions League quarterfinals, where they will take on an injured Arsenal, thanks to Alvarez’s disallowed penalty and Llorente’s missed attempt. Los Blancos has eliminated Diego Simeone’s team from Europe’s top competition five times in the twenty-first century.
