Question Number: 32217

Law 11 - Offside 2/6/2018

RE: Professional

Mike of Liverpool, England asks...

Hi, please could someone explain where to find the guidance relating to the offside decision in the Liverpool v Tottenham match on Sunday where the player was in an offside position and received the ball after a defender had attempted to clear the ball. The referee did not award offside because the defender had played the ball and subsequently gave a penalty when Harry Kane was fouled by the goalkeeper.

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
Thanks for the question. Law 11 can be viewed here
http://theifab.com/laws/offside/chapters/offside-offence
The relevant section of Law 11 states and I quote ** A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save by any opponent) is not considered to have gained an advantage. **
In the Liverpool scenario Lovren made a deliberate play of the ball, miskicked it and by doing so reset the offside in which case Kane could not have gained an advantage. Had it been a deflection it would have been offside for gaining an advantage by being in an offside position.
In the subsequent media furore many felt that Kane should not have benefitted from his position. Period. That is not what Law 11 tells us which is clear on the matter. The game needs to move on and to understand that the law makers wish to limit the type and amount of offside in games and to encourage attacking play. Law 11 is not an escape clause for poor execution of a deliberate play. Had Lovren cleared the ball as he intended to then the matter would not have arisen.