Atletico still burning over penalty controversy as Madrid derby looms
MADRID: Xabi Alonso’s perfect start as Real Madrid manager will be tested when his side visit a vengeful Atletico Madrid on Saturday, with Diego Simeone’s team still seething over a controversial penalty decision that cost them a Champions League quarter-final spot. Real Madrid arrive at the Metropolitano stadium with a flawless record of six wins in LaLiga, sitting five points clear of second placed Barcelona and nine points ahead of Atletico. Atletico are motivated by more than just local bragging rights – they remain furious over Julian Alvarez’s disallowed penalty in last season’s round of 16 Champions League defeat. The incident, where Alvarez’s penalty in the shootout was disallowed by VAR due to a controversial “double touch” decision after he slipped while attempting the shot, allowed Real Madrid to progress into the last eight. The controversy was so significant that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) later updated the rulebook, clarifying that the rule was meant to prevent deliberate double touches, not punish accidental slips. Several months on, the Atletico manager is still furious about the incident which he believes robbed his side of victory. “We feel outraged, violated... It wasn’t just another penalty, it was a penalty that would have sent us through to the quarter-finals...