Re: Season 2018/2019
Whilst I have already said it was an iffy or perhaps I should have said harsh penalty, I wouldn't agree that it was farcical.
It wasn't accidental for a start, the player deliberately jumped up with the sole intention of blocking the shot, Unluckily for him it hit his arm. An arm which in the rather ambiguous ruling from the official body was not in his natural silhouette.
Head of Uefa referees Robert Rossetti told the Times in January that - when VAR was introduced into this season's Champions League - officials would penalise any unnatural arm movement that makes contact with the ball.
"The big challenge is the position of the arm. When the arm is totally out of the body above the shoulder it should be penalised. If the defender is making the body bigger in order to block the ball it is not fair.
"It is different if the defender is challenging or playing the ball and it rebounds. But if he is looking to block a cross or a shot on goal and the player is trying to spread his body then it is a handball."
At the weekend, Ifab - football's law-makers - said handball will be given against a player if their arms extend "beyond a natural silhouette" - even if it is accidental.
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