Atletico Madrid president slams VAR after UCL exit: ‘Destroyed our dream’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid knocked local rivals Atletico Madrid out of the UEFA Champions League earlier this week in a controversy-riddled game that could have gone either way.

Much to the Merengues’ disappointment, they could not find a way past Atletico Madrid in 90 minutes and were forced into extra-time. When the 30 minutes of added time concluded and nothing separated the sides, penalties were signalled.

During the shootout, however, controversy erupted when Julian Alvarez’s kick was ruled out for an alleged ‘double touch’ which eventually gave Real Madrid the win.

Atletico Madrid president speaks

Speaking to the media for the first time after Atletico Madrid’s elimination in the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid, Los Rojiblancos’ president Enrique Cerezo expressed serious disappointment over the result (h/t RM4Arab).

Cerezo lashed out at Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

He began, however, by taking a dig at Thibaut Courtois who celebrated after the game despite his history at Atletico Madrid.

“Courtois should shut up and calm down. He should be grateful that he played for Atletico Madrid.”

“[He] is a great goalkeeper, but he has to do what he has to do with us, be a man and a gentleman,” he added.

The administrator then went on to detail how he felt let down by VAR and how technology did exactly the opposite of what it was brought to do.

“Until Wednesday evening, we were competing in three competitions, but on that day, a mistake occurred regarding the system.”

“The terrifying tool called VAR, which only serves to harm teams, led to the destruction of one of our greatest dreams which was to continue in the Champions League,” he added.

He then went on to add what he felt was wrong about what unfolded on the night at Civitas Metropolitano, saying,

“I don’t like VAR, I’m not saying that now, I’ve always said that. I don’t criticize the referee for cancelling Alvarez’s penalty kick because it’s not the referee’s fault.”

“It’s the VAR’s fault, and I don’t know where they saw the ball touch Alvarez’s foot twice,” he added.

Finally, Cerezo called VAR ‘unsafe’ and lashed out at the technology that saw his side eliminated from Europe.

“VAR is a conflicting tool, it is unsafe, and above all, we all believe it came to make football fairer, but I think it came to make it more unfair.”