1 week Ago By Simon Rice
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THE VAR responsible for chalking off Julian Alvarez's controversial 'double-kick' penalty has been axed from his next European game. Tomasz Kwiatkowski, the Polish official, has been removed from the refereeing set-up for Tottenham Hotspur 's Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt. 5 Alvarez was adjudged to have touched the ball twice upon scoring his penalty Credit: Reuters 5 Football fans struggled to see the moment Credit: TNT Sports 5 The penalty was chalked off and Real Madrid advanced in the Champions League Credit: AP Kwiatkowski fuelled a frenzy during the penalty shoot-out between city rivals Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 at the Estadio Metropolitano, when he disallowed Alvarez's successful spot-kick in a matter of seconds.
Kwiatkowski deemed that the Argentine had touched the ball twice as he slotted past Thibaut Courtois. That sparked outrage amongst Atleti staff and supporters alike. There was such an uproar after the game that Uefa were forced to back the VAR's decision with an official statement, even releasing a video of the spot kick to demonstrate Kwiatkowski's thought process.
Read More Football PRINCE OF WAILS Agony & ecstasy of Princes as they watch Villa's European quarter final The incident also prompted Uefa to admit that they were ready to readdress the 'double-kick' law . It seemed as though things would return to normal when the fiasco simmered down, but the debate has been reignited by Kwiatkowski's axing for Spurs' Europa League tie with Frankfurt. Uefa have not publicly given a reason as to why the change has been made, leaving fans in the dark ahead of tonight's game.
Kwiatkowski has been part of referee Szymon Marciniak's team since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but he will not be in London as initially planned. Most read in Champions League CRASH TRAGEDY Britain's Got Talent star, 18, killed in crash in third tragedy to hit family ON ALERT Scots residents told to expect loud warning sirens TODAY - here’s why HOLS CHAOS Thousands face hols cancellations as travel company plunges into administration GREEN PARTY My dad's a massive Celtic hero, now I'm standing as a candidate for Reform UK CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Instead, he will be replaced by Spaniard Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez in the VAR control room. Tottenham host Frankfurt in tonight's game, which kicks off at 8pm.
About to get sacked on air' - Micah Richards stuns Kate Abdo into eight-second silence with crude innuendo 5 Szymon Marciniak will be without his usual VAR when he takes charge of Spurs' encounter against Frankfurt 5 Real came out on top in the shootout, earning them a meeting with Arsenal in the quarter-finals Credit: Alamy.
