Uh oh, there’s an explanation of the rules of soccer. Can I assume that something has gone very wrong? Yes, you can. During Tuesday’s Champions League match, referee Szymon Marciniak reversed his decision and awarded a penalty to Paris Saint-Germain in the final moments of their game against Newcastle. Marciniak determined that Tino Livramento had touched the ball with his hand, and Kylian Mbappé successfully scored the penalty kick, earning the French team a crucial point. However, the issue is that the decision did not seem to meet any of the criteria for a handball.
What are the criteria for a handball? In this situation, Livramento clearly used his arm to touch the ball. However, the referee must consider more than just the contact between the ball and arm (which is defined as starting at the end of the armpit). The most important factor is whether or not the contact was deliberate – if it was, then it is considered a handball. However, if it was not deliberate, other factors must be taken into account. For example, the shape of the player’s body at the time of contact. If the body appears to be larger than normal, a penalty may still be given even if the player did not intend to touch the ball.
Is this what the laws state? Yes, but the guidelines for handball laws are more detailed. According to the International Football Association Board (Ifab), if a player kicks or heads the ball and it then touches their own arm, it will not be considered handball unless the ball goes directly into the opponents’ goal or the player scores immediately afterwards. However, in the Premier League, referees are advised to consider the player’s proximity to the ball when kicked and whether their body shape could be considered natural based on their actions at the time. This leniency is not commonly seen in Uefa matches.
Is it really that straightforward? Not exactly, as there is an added layer of complication in this situation. There is uncertainty about whether referees in Uefa competitions are required to consider the “hit elsewhere on the body first” defense. In April, the Uefa football board suggested taking this into account, but it is believed that the European governing body felt that applying it universally, even in cases where the player’s body was “unnaturally big,” would go against the rules.
I don’t want to sound contrarian, but I think I’m sympathising with the referee here. It certainly appears that Marciniak made the right decision first time, given that Livramento did not appear to deliberately touch the ball, did not have his body in a position that was “unnaturally big” and was also in close proximity to Ousmane Dembélé’s cross. That, plus the deflection consideration, should mean there was no possibility of a penalty. But then the VAR got involved.
I was curious when that Three-Letter Acronym would come up. It appears that even when discussing the complicated rulebook of football, the video assistant referee can still make a mistake. The issue with PSG’s penalty was not due to the rules, but rather the decision of one individual. Tomasz Kwiatkowski, the VAR for referee Marciniak, has been removed from his duties for the Champions League game between Real Sociedad and Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday. The reason for his removal has not been disclosed by Uefa, but it is believed that he made an error in advising his Polish colleague (whom he has worked with many times, including at last year’s World Cup final) to reconsider the decision to leave Livramento alone.
“Skip over promotional content in the newsletter.”
after newsletter promotion
Kwiatkowski’s involvement sparks one final inquiry: what caused Marciniak to change his perspective? What did he observe on the replay that he had missed initially, and why was it so significant? The only possible explanation may be that, to him, Livramento’s body position appeared “unnaturally large”, highlighting the subjectivity of a referee’s decisions. However, it would be more concerning if Marciniak did not see anything at all. If he simply reacted as he thought was expected after being called to the monitor. The VAR was implemented to assist referees in challenging situations. If it turns out that even the most skilled referees are being led to errors, it would be an unfortunate and unintended consequence.
Source: theguardian.com
