Question Number: 33063

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/12/2019

RE: Competitive Under 19

David Bermingham of Herndon, VA United States asks...

While I recognize the advice often given on this site that we ordinary referees shouldn't model our actions on what we see FIFA referees do in top level matches, the Manchester United V PSG match on Tuesday has me wondering. We often see and hear about game management at that level where referees balance game control with trying to keep players on the pitch for the bulk of the contest. In the Man Utd v PSG match the Italian referee gave at least five cautions in the first half but chose to ignore a USB pullback by Kimpembe on Rashford which would have been a second yellow. The referee later produces a second yellow on Pogba for a simple foul in the 90'. It seems that these referees feel pressure to keep 22 players on the pitch during their game and don't make the tough calls during the bulk of the match, but have little thought to how changing that view towards the end of the match creates unfair circumstances in two-legged competitions. In this match Kimpembe scored after not being sent off, but Pogba doesn't get to play in Paris after a simple foul. Later incidents indicate to me that the referee didn't get any game control benefit from the red card, so what was the point of dropping his level of tolerance at that point? What game management lessons should the average referee take from watching a game like this with 10 cautions?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
The first point is that the Paul Pogba foul was not a simple foul. He was nowhere near the ball and lifts his boot up which then catches Alves high on the shin in a downward motion. Pogba may have been trying to shield the ball from that action yet the ball is well away from playing distance.
So for me it is certainly reckless and on review bordering on a straight red card. I also believe that Pogba went down, stayed down because he knew it was a reckless challenge. When he gets up he *disappears* with Young doing all the talking and he seems to be the one carded?.
Now I believe VAR had a big part to play here. Video evidence shows Pogba studs raised making contact with Alves on his shin below the knee. https://goo.gl/images/QQd548
I see a delay by the referee and he may have thought that it was a coming together with a foul only yet video shows a different picture. When I saw it first I thought second yellow and then there was a delay. I suspect the VAR official may have been advising here.
So for me certainly a correct decision. Once on a caution players know that any risky foul runs a high risk of a second card.
As to the red card at this time my view was that Man United had lost its discipline with multiple cautions for fouls. While watching it I said to myself that there is going to be a red card here.
Sometimes a red card is necessary to send out the message that the limit of indiscipline has been reached and it will not be tolerated.
As to Kimpembe I would agree that he was shown a great deal of latitude as were a number of other players including Ashley Young. His push of Di Maria sending him into the pitch wall could easily have been a second yellow.
Now the first foul by Kimpembe on Rashford was a tactical foul with the referee having no hesitation with a card. The remaining three fouls were not as obvious as some are making out. The incident involving Shaw and Kimpembe was made a meal off by the United player with no foul called. The one involving the tug on Rashfords shoulder was the only one that I considered to be in the possible caution range. As a referee we have all been there giving players the benefit of the doubt on a second yellow.
So for me none of fouls after the first yellow were stonewall cautions that were ignored.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi David,
While the referee may have started off quite quickly with cards in the first half, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think that overall, as in almost every game I watch, there were some decisions (and cards given) that I might not have given and some not given that I might have also gone the other way with, these are just shades of opinion and none of the decisions were particularly out of line.

I also agree with ref McHugh that Pogba's red card was thoroughly merited.