Morning Espresso, 3.13: Double touch dooms Atleti, Vancouver eliminates Monterrey

to go out for Atletico Madrid. They got the win at home. It was two two on aggregate, it went to penalties. Real Madrid won the shootout in any former fashion. That is a difficult way to be eliminated from a competition. But then the way that it happened, Okay, you score in twenty seven seconds, Connor Gallagher el pittp He gets the goal immediately off the kickoff, basically, and it's the fastest Champions League goal by an Englishman, which is an

odd stat but there you go. Venisius Junior missed a penalty in normal time badly. It might have landed by now. It felt like Atleti was getting tired towards the end, but this is a very good defensive team that can sit back and defend. They had their moments to break.

Felt like Atleti was at least the equal of Real Madrid in this one hundred and eighty minutes plus thirty into a penalty shootout, very very even, finest of fine margins, and that's what ends up deciding it in a rule that is one we rarely see, a situation that we don't see often at all, and a rule that I think needs to be rewritten perfect Honestly, I think this is a very outdate rule. So Julian Alvarez converts his penalty the second for at Letti, and then var goes

back to look at it. The broadcast, it was a little unclear as to what was going on. We found out before at Letti took their third kick that Alvarez's goal had been disallowed because of a second touch. You can't strike the ball twice, you can't make two touches on the ball in a penalty situation like this, and what I'm not clear on. UEFA has said that the in ball technology was not called upon. There is and

I don't even know if this ball is accurate. I feel like there were some things said on the CBS broadcast that maybe were not accurate because Christina Uncle talked about how this was done using the semi automated off side cameras and things, which maybe it was maybe it wasn't. Uefa said the in ball technology wasn't called upon, and then it was just normal VR situation. So I don't know if that includes the semi automated offside cameras or not.

It's complicated and it would be nice if you AFO would come out and explain the process because when you watch the video, does Alvarez's plant foot touch the ball before he strikes it with his right foot? Does it touch it after? I've watched it a whole bunch of times, and I'm about fifty to fifty on it. They made the decision very quickly, very quickly in Madrid. Is it right?

I don't know. There's watching it yesterday. I mean I can tell you exactly as we were watching it with a group of folks at Wild Leap in South downtown Atlanta. I watched it. I didn't think he touched it. I saw one angle and I thought, Okay, I think he touched it. Then I saw that same angle two more times and I did not think he touched it. Is

the dress like blue or green? I don't know. And for var to be that quick in making that decision unless there's some other element of technology that we're not one hundred percent clear on how they used it, and if they did and it's just camera work, then show it. Let's go past that. Okay, they make the decision, which is controversial at best. All right, Why in the laws of the game is when a goalkeeper intentionally comes off their line to try to make a penalty save, trying

to gain a clear advantage. And I know it's hard, and we can argue about goalkeepers and stutter steps and all that all day, but they come off their line trying to make a save. It is a decision that they make. If they make the save, the goal's not given for breaking the rule. It's a retail. So in this situation, there is no advantage from touching the ball second time. It is absolutely not intentional. You'd never try to do that, and if you did, you shouldn't get

to take it again. But in this case, he slips. Why is that an automatic no goal loss of turn go to the back of the line. It doesn't match the infraction and this needs to be rectified. You know, this doesn't happen very often. There are rules in different things that don't get used very often that aren't very good.

This is one that needs to be changed now. A goalkeeper intentionally breaking a rule to try to make a save should not get a retake when they make that save and another opportunity to make the save, whereas the attempter taking the penalty should not be excessively penalized for a slip because the field gave way. Just saying it

does not match the crime here, So fix it. IFAB, please UEFA come out and make it clear as to how you came to your decision, because this is an awful look and it was very confusing and a horrible way to go out. Even if he does touch it the second time, it's a horrible way to go out for a team. He should have had a retake. He should have had a retake. That should be the rule.

Fix it. I'm with Miguel Delaney on this. I've never really even thought about this rule because I don't remember seeing it anytime in the last decade, like I don't remember the last time I saw a double touch like that. Craziness and it's awful for Atleti. Real Madrid goes on. Some of the comments afterwards on the Real Madrid side were pretty shocking. They're not making themselves very popular outside of their own fan base, so we will see where this goes. It was a weird one. It was a

very strange one. Brusia Dortmund also very strange. Leal they got the lead on a very strange goal early early in their match with Brusia Dortmund. Dortmund came back. They end up getting the winner eleven minutes after tying it in the fifty fourth minute, and Brusia Dortmund will go through to the knockout round. Arsenal and aston Villa no shocks that they got through. Really good win for aston Villa to win six to one on aggregate over Club Bruce.

So first legs of the quarterfinals will take place on April eighth and ninth. Second legs will be one week later. PSG will host aston Villa in that first leg. Arsenal will host a Real Madrid, Barcelona will host Dortmund, Byron will host ter Let's Go to Gonka Champions and it was a better night for Major League soccer. Both teams advanced that were in action last night, and one of

them Vancouver white Caps. What a performance at Santos Slaguna Stadium, not at Monterrey because Shakira was doing her thing in Monterrey and there were lots of jokes being made about all of that. Brian White's seventy eight minute goal ended up being the winner. Vancouver advanced on away goals. They were going to win outright, but a very late, dubious penalty was given to Monterrey Sergio Ramos. Yes that Sergio Ramos,

he converted on the penalty, all kinds of things. After so much extra stoppage time was added, It felt like every opportunity that Riatos could get to try to find one more goal to go through was being given to them. They didn't find it. And Vancouver knocks out Monterrey in a game where Ryan Guld is out injured, Jaden Nelson unavailable, Brian White came off the bench and they get it done. And Vancouver is in such a good position right now in the early in their season. So impressive what the

white Caps are doing. And on the other side, Martine di Michellis. He came to Monterrey in January. Remember he's the one who didn't even get in the door before saying Brandon Vasquez had to leave. Well, De Michellis might be the next one to go after this. He says he's not quitting. There's reports in Mexico that he might not manage this weekend against Pumas and League MX because Monterrey is in the Club World Cup and now they don't know if they can trust de Michellis to get

the job done. This is why you should be careful about managers coming in and making big time player decisions just out of nowhere because they want to. They might not be there very long. So that's the case for Monterrey now. As Riatos are knocked out by the Vancouver white Caps LA Galaxy, they finally win a game in twenty twenty five. They were down one nill on aggregate coming into it. They won for to one at home over Aridiano Julian Aoude Miguel Barry. First starts, they opened

the scoring Gabriel pay Christian Ramirez. They scored in the second half Harbor miller A seventeen year old. He assisted on Peck's goal. Good win for the Galaxy, maybe some momentum for them. They'll go into the next round to face Digres Club America in the Super Classical matchup in Mexico. Third game for these two teams in a row with Club America and Chievas Los Aguiles. Huge win for to

one on aggregate. Alex Zendejas he scored after not being picked for the Nations League roster for the US and Marzio po Chattino so Club America after a couple of not so great performances against Chievas, they get the most important, big performance and they will advance Miami. Tonight in Jamaica, Lionel Messi has made the trip to face Cavalier sc Don't know if he's going to start, don't know if he's going to be on the bench, don't know if

he's gonna get subbed in. That's all up to Javier Mascherano. The Jamaica Tourist Board, Red Stripe and with Cinco have all become sponsors of the game in the last last week. Look, because there's a huge cost for security and stadium staff for a game of this magnitude, A lot of tickets have been sold. Bleacher tickets were available early in the week,

not sure if they're gone now or not. Club officials for Cavaliers said that this is like having a head of state arrive on the island as they get ready to host Lionel Messi and enter Miami. A big game tonight in Konka Champions Let's go over to Europa League today. A couple of nuggets on some games. Manchester United versus Real Sociodad. It's one one on aggregate going into the

second leg. United have lost only one of their last twenty eight home matches in the competition, but that loss was Real Sociodad, who are unbeaten in their last two visits to Old Trafford Rangers three to one lead on aggregate over Fenerbace. Rangers have it progressed twenty four of their last twenty five times when they've been in this situation with a two goal or more lead after the first leg. Bennerbace have won just one of their last

eleven knockout games in Europe. Tottenham and or Tottenham Hotspurs. Sorry, I want to make sure that I'm following things as they would like me to say it Tottenham Hot Spur versus Azed Alkmar Spurs. They have scored in a record twenty nine straight Europa League home games. They have to score here. They're down one nill ozed. They have lost

all nine of their previous trips to England. We'll see interesting games for two of the Premier League teams and one of the Scottish Premier League teams in Europa League today and last one here on the Espresso Big Time. Congrats to Bob Lee. He was the face of ESPN soccer coverage for decades. He has been announced as the recipient for the twenty twenty five Colin Jose Media Award, which honors journalists whose careers have made significant long term

contributions to soccer in the United States. He was one of the originals at ESPN in nineteen seventy nine. He covered ten Men's and Women's World Cups from nineteen eighty two to twenty fifteen. Covered soccer throughout his career, including being there at the beginning all the way through the end of his time at ESPN covering Major League soccer play by play studio commentary. He did it all. He always shined a light on it and did it in

the best way. Bob Lee absolutely deserving award winner for the twenty twenty five Collins Jose Media Award from the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Congrats Bob, thank you for watching and listening. Morning Espresso will be back tomorrow as we get you ready for a busy weekend in MLS and all over the rest of the world. You'll have a good rest of the day.