Question Number: 30938

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/22/2016

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30686

Hello, I have other two questions about this foul type in the penalty area. At first glance, it looks like a player in the penalty area always has a promising opportunity. :-)

1) When you give yellow card and when not? (in general please)

2) Why is this situation without yellow card?

Video (time 5:30, foul on Messi in the penalty area, Barcelona-Man City):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeUrTSdKpkQ

Thank you!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HE Petr,
cards are but a tool to be used to bring the game into line with fair play expectations. As a tool it has its uses to drive home the necessary point the LOTG demand and the official feels is required to safeguard the integrity of the match. In the cases where we are using cards in a penal foul situation the foul is upgraded from careless to reckless = yellow or excessive = red within the opinion of the CR managing the match . Aside from the force used, WE also consider the MISCONDUCT of the act itself as to how or why it was performed in terms of USB. You might have noted how the defender tried to grab the shirt when Messi stepped around him just outside the PA but just got a fingertip grip and Messi pulled away into the PA. That was a failed attempt at a TACTICAL foul of holding to limit his speed and attack which Messi played through with no doubt a trifling redundancy. IF that hold HAD been applied THAT in my opinion could be thought of more of as a CAUTIONARY event with a DFK, then the tackle trip in side the PA which actually gives a penalty kick opportunity .

Note when that final defender swings in to try to tackle Messi, the attempt itself was reasonable given how close the defender was to the ball and how far the ball was away from Messi after his slightly strong touch . The ball was fairly equal in distance between the two and the defender's leg sweep was not at height, with studs up or vicious in anyway. It was a legit attempt to poke the ball away the Messi, who tried to avoid by leaping over the defender, who raised his leg slightly to make that jump difficult in a careless fashion as opposed to a more forceful reckless action.
Look at the score , the minimal force used, angle to goal, how Messi just about walked through but for a slightly heavy touch and most importantly the fact a PK WAS being offered as the restart, what purpose is the caution show a yellow card at this point in the match. That sort of tackle, performed anywhere on the FOP is only a free kick at best.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
Not every foul is a caution. The referee has to judge many factors in making his decision which can include the following
1. Was the foul tactical in nature to break up a promising attack / move?
2. Was it a cynical foul with no attempt to play the ball such as pulling a player back, deliberate trip / kick?
3. Has the player been guilty of multiple fouls and persistently infringing the Law?
4. Was the foul reckless?
Other lesser factors that the referee might consider are
A. Does the game need the player to be cautioned for match control purposes?
B. The time in the game.
C. The score in the game.
D. Will it result in a dismissal.
Some will say that A to D should not be factors yet human nature dictates otherwise. At 6-0 with a penalty in 88th minute is a referee going to send off an already cautioned player for a tired foul with a game played in a good spirit that results in a penalty to make it 7-0?
Referee Grove makes a good point that if the foul happened outside the penalty area without caution that in similar circumstances inside the penalty the same should apply.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Petr,

I would say that in general, if you have an offense that would only have been a free kick outside the area (no card) then the same offense inside the penalty area should be a penalty with no yellow card.

I can see your point that a player who is inside the penalty area might be more likely to be involved in a promising attack than one who is, say, in their own defensive third of the field but that is not necessarily the case. The referee should assess every offense on its merits.

Personally, I find it a little surprising the number of times in televised games that I see a referee award a penalty and then caution the player for a foul or handling offense that would almost certainly not have drawn a yellow card if it had happened outside the penalty area. Maybe these referees are thinking (as you suggest) that any offense by a defender inside the area should automatically be seen as preventing a promising attack but I do not agree with that approach.