Almeida defends Atleti: 'The penalty should have been retaken'
The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, a well-known Atlético de Madrid fan, has expressed his opinion on the controversial annulment of Julián Álvarez’s penalty in the crucial Champions League match against Real Madrid.
Almeida, speaking not only as mayor but also as a lawyer, believes that the penalty should have been retaken. According to Almeida, the rule must be interpreted, and since it was an involuntary infraction without any advantage for Atlético, the correct thing to do would have been to repeat the kick.
The annulled penalty, which would have meant 2-2 in the shootout, ended up favoring Real Madrid, who won 2-4 and advanced in the competition. Almeida compares the situation to a poorly taken free kick, where the referee simply corrects the position.
In this case, he believes that Álvarez’s lack of intent justified the repeat. The mayor is confident that UEFA will review the rule to align it with this interpretation, although he fears that this decision will come too late for Atleti. His passionate defense reflects the sentiment of many rojiblancos fans, who saw how a controversial refereeing decision affected the team’s fate in the Champions League.
