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PSG v Man Utd: The handball rule - what is the latest, and do you agree?

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments193

Kimpembe handball decision
If a player's arms extend beyond a "natural silhouette", handball will be given, even if it is perceived as accidental, say the new handball rules

Manchester United's controversial injury-time penalty in their dramatic Champions League win over Paris St-Germain has got everyone talking about the handball rule and VAR.

Marcus Rashford thumped home the spot-kick in the 94th minute, awarded after referee Damir Skomina had initially signalled a corner after Diogo Dalot's shot struck Presnel Kimpembe and went over the crossbar.

Skomina received a signal to check the incident again for a possible handball in the box and after watching a pitchside monitor, changed his decision.

Injured PSG forward Neymar called the decision a "disgrace", asking "What can [Kimpembe] do with his hand while his back is turned?"

But what are the rules?

As it stands from the International Football Association Board (Ifab) rulebook:

Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball with the hand or arm.

The following must be considered:

  • The movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)
  • The distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)
  • The position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an offence

However, Head of Uefa referees Robert Rossetti told the Timesexternal-link 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."

What next?

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.

Ifab chief David Elleray explained: "If the arms are extended beyond that silhouette then the body is being made unnaturally bigger, with the purpose of it being a bigger barrier to the opponent or the ball.

"Players should be allowed to have their arms by their side because it's their natural silhouette."

That new interpretation will come in from 1 June - the date of the Champions League final.

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193 comments

  • Comment posted by iamanonymous, at 18:55 7 Mar 2019

    Is anyone likely to take any notice of Neymar when he talks about fair play ?

  • Comment posted by End Racism Boycott Qatar, at 18:36 7 Mar 2019

    Neymar called the decision a disgrace.

    NO NEYMAR, a disgrace is someone who throws himself on the floor and rolls over and over trying to get a fellow professional sent off!

    IE: YOU!!!!

  • Comment posted by Inastate, at 17:33 7 Mar 2019

    Nobody would accept this against their own club, yet people will justify it if their club was awarded the penalty.

    Football, for a professional sport, is officiated very subjectively.

    This is what makes for entertainment and controversy but also makes the game very unfair, sometimes ridiculously so.

  • Comment posted by Ook the Librarian, at 17:08 7 Mar 2019

    Correct decision ... if only because of Neymars face and subsequent Instagram rant!

  • Comment posted by Wee Brian, at 17:41 7 Mar 2019

    The rules are as clear as mud. I didn’t think it was a penalty at the time and my mate did. Now I genuinely don’t know.
    I am in favour of VAR but this doesn’t seem a clear cut decision to me.

  • Comment posted by Bill Moseley, at 17:20 7 Mar 2019

    Euro Ref rep quite right . When I reffed throughout the 60-70's if the arm was away from the body, except if player is right on the ball, penalty every time. Penalties are nothing to do with goal bound shots...where did PSG Club get that from? The player has stopped the ball travelling in the intended direction...simplez...

  • Comment posted by ant, at 20:20 7 Mar 2019

    The new rules state that if you drop to the floor and roll around like a cheating spoiled brat karma comes back around and takes a good chunk out of ya. Eh Naymar

  • Comment posted by Blairgowrie, at 20:56 7 Mar 2019

    I wonder how this would have been viewed had the decision been at the other end and PSG got through with a late penalty?? It's a borderline call at best, not a clear error really.

    Line up 20 referees and would all 20 give the penalty?

    I can see us getting to the point quite quickly where trying to kick the ball into an arm becomes a key skill for an attacking player. That can't be right

  • Comment posted by DavidM, at 17:46 7 Mar 2019

    Handball and offside almost impossible to decipher now. Can we please go to offside by anyone is offside and handball if ball hits the hand is handball!

  • Comment posted by Est1882, at 17:27 7 Mar 2019

    Whether it was or wasn't, congratulations to Manchester United on getting through when many gave them no chance, but when ex-United players like Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen are saying it was never a penalty I think you have your answer.
    VAR does seem to overly penalise handball though - you only have to go back to some of the decisions made for penalties in the World Cup to see that.

  • Comment posted by Rufus, at 17:37 7 Mar 2019

    The current rules state , handling the ball involves a deliberate act, the movement last night did not appear deliberate.
    That new interpretation will come in from 1 June - the date of the Champions League final.
    So the referee last night interpreted the decision on a rule that has not yet come into force?????

  • Comment posted by Nomad-, at 18:36 7 Mar 2019

    A moment in time a blink of an eye was all it took for what is an instinctive decision based by the ref

    But then VAR is used and they play it back and analyse everything to the nth degree and the finest detail

    It refereeing by hindsight and has to be improved.

    Man Utd can only go with the refs decision.

    So tough luck Neymar how many times have you cheated and got away with it

  • Comment posted by UTC, at 18:05 7 Mar 2019

    I was amazed the penalty was awarded after official viewing. If your team get one like that you're going to be delighted but if it goes against you it will be very hard to accept. Not deliberate imo but that's possibly me losing track of the laws.

  • Comment posted by Watford Dave, at 19:33 7 Mar 2019

    Well, Neymar is pretty much the go-to man for honest and impartial input on penalty decisions

  • Comment posted by The Abrasive Footy Fan, at 06:41 8 Mar 2019

    Re 121: where does it say has to be deliberate? Literally in the article you apparently just haven't read.

    "AS IT STANDS from the International Football Association Board (Ifab) rulebook:

    Handling the ball involves a DELIBERATE ate act of a player making contact with the ball with the hand or arm."

    Under the CURRENT interpretation ref was wrong. End of.

  • Comment posted by Dave, at 22:50 7 Mar 2019

    52% for 48% against - can we have another vote?

  • Comment posted by End Racism Boycott Qatar, at 18:41 7 Mar 2019

    Penalty or not how many have PSG been awarded had through Neymar diving on the floor and faking injury when nobody touched him?

    Now THAT'S a disgrace!

  • Comment posted by Kingcymru, at 15:15 8 Mar 2019

    One thing I do worry about is people deliberately kicking the ball at people hands from close range to instigate a penalty.
    I would be much happier if they dealt with the pushing and shirt pulling when attacking and defending set pieces.

  • Comment posted by CaptainS, at 20:12 7 Mar 2019

    How would Michael Owen know what's a penalty and what's not. He was serial diver who conned the ref many a time.

    Back on subject - Although the PSG player did not deliberately move his hand to the ball he turned his back on the shot and as a result he could not avoid contact with the ball. He cost his team because of that.

  • Comment posted by tonymac, at 18:37 7 Mar 2019

    You can only blame VAR for highlighting the incident.. the incredulity comes from the interpretation that the referee gave.. once again human error costs a club a place in Europe....IN MY OPINION !!

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