Question Number: 31778

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/11/2017

RE: Professional

engin ataman of olympia, Washington USA asks...

Hello,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgmeBYR7tnU

What would be the right decision here?

Yellow, red or no foul? Your answer is very much appreciated...

Thank you :)

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Engin
This is a foul as the Player #7 Quaresma of Besiktas has challenged for the ball in a careless and reckless manner. I believe that the player pulled out of the follow through somewhat. Had he not done so it would certainly be a yellow card and every chance that it would be a red card for use of excessive force. His reaction afterwards towards the player showed that he knew his action was bordering on reckless. It may have swayed the referee in his call. The reaction of Green#8 helped as well as had he gone down injured the referee would have had a more difficult call to make. I do not know what sanction if any was taken. It does not look like there was.
Over the past number of years I have seen at all levels this action of playing the ball and then an aggressive follow through towards the opponent. I listened recently to a former PL manager opine that he saw nothing wrong with such a challenge where the player followed through after playing the ball into the players leg. Playing the ball is not a free pass at making heavy contact on an opponent on the follow through.
There was questions raised about the Mane Liverpool challenge on the Man City goalkeeper at the weekend. I personally was annoyed at those that opined that the challenge should have been a yellow card as the player did not mean to do it. Intent is not part of the Laws. Mane clearly and without doubt endangered the safety of his opponent which is a red card. The foul ticked every single element of a red card. The game has moved on and those in the game need to know that any challenge that endangers a players safety will result in a sending off.
In your example no question it is a foul and had the player followed through aggressively it would have been a red card. If it was reckless it would be yellow and there is a fine lie on such contact in this high boot manner

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Engin,
I noticed the AR who was right there only signaled goal kick?
So I sense there was no foul awarded ?
This could have gone pear shaped into excessive with endangering the safety of the opponent but for the realization by the player to pullback & the player's interaction might mitigate the card color, I see it as a foul as I believe contact attempt was made prior to the ball exiting the FOP if not a foul it could be misconduct as cautionable or even a VC type action .
It is NOT the responsibility of the referee to tell a player what to do but it IS the referee responsibility to do what is required when a player does do what he is not to do!
IIN my opinion DFK out solid talking too the culprit how lucky I saw it as him trying to pull out.
Cheers