Ancelotti Breaks Silence on Alvarez Penalty Controversy: “Our Focus is Ahead!”

Carlo Ancelotti has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the cancellation of Julian Alvarez's penalty during the Madrid derby, a pivotal match in the Champions League Round of 16. At a press conference ahead of Real Madrid's Liga clash against Villarreal, the veteran manager was quizzed about the contentious refereeing decision that ruled out Atletico's striker's spot-kick. Ancelotti's succinct response was, "For us, the game is done." As for the incident itself, Alvarez, attempting his penalty in the Champions League showdown, lost his footing and inadvertently struck the ball with both feet. After a VAR review, the decision was made to annul the penalty. UEFA has since taken the stance that while the penalty decision was correctly overturned, the rule itself requires reassessment. In response to this, Ancelotti commented, "I don’t know what they'll do. The rule is what it is." Now, as they move forward, the whites will be gearing up to face Arsenal in the quarter-finals.