Question Number: 32364

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/12/2018

RE: Competitive Under 14

Eugene of San Jose, CA US asks...

In the 04/10 Real-Juventus game, there was a penalty awarded in the added time. Should there have been a yellow card given to the defender for the DOGSO offence?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Eugene
This incident ended up as a very nasty unpleasant situation with the Juventus goalkeeper getting sent off, I believe for offensive, insulting and abusive language / gestures. Referee Michael Oliver was *mobbed* by 5/6 Juve players including the goalkeeper which is a no no under UEFA advice and in that mobbing he was jostled and no doubt unpleasant words were said to him.
Now as to the foul that resulted in the award of the penalty it was for I believe a push by the Juventus defender in which case it should have been a red card not a yellow. The Laws tell us and I quote
** the offending player is cautioned unless:
# The offence is holding, pulling or pushing or
# The offending player does not attempt to play the ball or there is no possibility for the player making the challenge to play the ball or
# The offence is one which is punishable by a red card wherever it occurs on the field of play (e.g. serious foul play, violent conduct etc.)
In all the above circumstances the player is sent off.**

Now there is more to this. Medhi Benatia of Juventus who fouled Lucas Vazquez of Real Madrid was already on a yellow card at that time so even if it was a genuine challenge for the ball it still had to be a caution assuming the referee seen it as a DOGSO and given what we saw it was a denial of a goal scoring opportunity.
Now if we take out the fact that the foul was not a DOGSO and a genuine attempt to play the ball the Laws now tells us of the exception not to caution where a player ** commits a foul which interferes with or stops a promising attack EXCEPT where the referee awards a penalty kick for an offence which was an attempt to play the ball**. That means that if it was not a push, not a DOGSO that the caution is not required. That is one of the new amendments that is being used at the moment as a result of penalty kick awards.
Only Referee Michael Oliver can say what he gave the foul for. We also have to take into account the circumstances and all that went on at that time. It would be very difficult for any referee to have composed himself sufficiently, after dismissing the goalkeeper, to then have added further fuel to that raging fire by singling out Benatia to give a second straight red card or for that matter a second caution to send him off.
For me I think that it was in the circumstances the *best* decision for the game.
The incident though raised much more serious concerns for the game in that the referee was jostled and manhandled in a way that was totally unacceptable. Some silly nonsense has been said by Juventus players in the aftermath of the game that the penalty award did not take account of ** just ahead of the final whistle and destroy the work of a team who gave absolutely everything**, that it was a *doubtful* foul and a heartless decision. It was a clear foul and it made no difference when or where it happened or that the referee had to take account of team effort or emotion in his decision making!. No one mentioned the lack of pressure on the cross to Ronaldo, the failure to win that ball in the air or that Benatia got on the wrong side of his opponent so as to make a fair challenge for the call. Yeah it was tough on Juventus yet it also does not give players the right to abuse and mob an official in such an aggressive fashion. I hope UEFA take strong action here and deal appropriately with the matter.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Eugene
The storybook ending is a fantasy act that 1/2 of those playing had accepted as reality. To be down 3 to 0 then to comeback and be tied had inspired the Juventus team to a point they were unwilling to consider they might lose in such a fashion as if destiny was on their side and only the evil wizard referee was responsible for their ultimate demise!

It was difficult decision because the attacker STOOD still waiting for the rebound as the panicked defender was lunging desperately to get in and around. The referee SAW the hand in the back and the bending of the attacker going to ground it was a CLEAR if heartbreaking penalty.

Yes it absolutely tore the guts out of Juventus , however a neutral official can only call the match he sees before him not the imaginary one the players script inside their heads.

You can be sure if the situation was reversed Juventus would be screaming for the PK at the other end.

I understand the emotional let down but they CAN NOT be permitted to assault surround or intimidate the referee. The use of the VAR system should be implemented to counteract any TRUE egregious referee action that is EASILY seen as incorrect BUT this foul is NOT one of those situations.

The newly advanced concept of NOT sending player off for DOGSO when inside the PA under MOST normal conditions is one that I like. The PK and a caution is sufficient. Now was this a careless foul only? Personally I think a caution for the tactical aspect was warranted BUT under the circumstance with Buffon losing his cool & being sent off, the fact the PK WAS going ahead, the tensions & attitudes being so volatile if the referee was to show the defender a second yellow card the referee would have to send him off & just adding misery to heartbreak to what end?

Cheers