Question Number: 32360

Law 11 - Offside 4/11/2018

RE: Adult

AG Hagan of Reykjavik, Reykjavik Iceland asks...

In a game between Man City and Liverpool in the Champions league, Leroy Sane was ruled offside. Was that correct decision? Some people, including journalist from Liverpool Echo, say Milner did not thouch the ball deliberately. Does that matter in this situasations?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ag ,
The idea that the punch was considered a deliberate save and the ball off of Milner was a secondary deflection precludes that Sane was offside when DeBruyne FIRST shot the ball at the goal. This WAS NOT the case , he was ONSIDE so it woud not be possible to make that argument that he gained an advantage

The only real possibility was the CR and the AR were unaware the ball LAST touched Milner thought it was off of Gabriel Jesus and held Sane as offside thinking the ball came to him from a teammate. Onside players can follow the ball where ever it goes as they are NOT restricted. Sane was onside at the initial shot BEFORE the punch out! The fact he looked offside with one defender has zero to do with his right to be there.

Whether the ball was considered to have been twice deflected or played by an opponent in either case Sane was free to play the ball. They got it wrong, it happens. The VAR system if in use might have corrected the error!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi AG,
In general terms, if a player is in an offside position when the ball was played or touched by a team mate but only becomes involved in active play after a subsequent touch by an opponent then it would matter. The law says that in such a situation, if the touch by the opponent is a deflection or a rebound, offside is still a possibility (depending on whether active involvement in play by the PIOP ensues) but when an opponent deliberately plays the ball there is no offside offence.

However, as mentioned in previous responses, at the time of the last touch on the ball by a Manchester City player, Sane was not in an offside position, so in this particular instance, it does not matter whether the touch on the ball by Milner was a deliberate play or not, since the first requirement for an offside offence (player in an offside position at the relevant moment) has not been fulfilled.