Referee Stuart Attwell made the historic first in-stadium VAR announcement to disallow a Dominic Solanke purpose in Tottenham Hotspur’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg win over Liverpool on Wednesday, however Lucas Bergvall’s late profitable purpose was the sport’s most controversial second.
Liverpool had been on the unlucky finish of a technicality on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Bergvall was on a yellow card when he fouled Kostas Tsimikas with Liverpool on the break at 0-0.
Attwell allowed Liverpool to proceed and selected to not return to Bergvall’s problem to subject a second yellow card and ship Bergvall off. The 18-year-old went on to win the match along with his first Spurs purpose. However ought to he have been on the pitch to attain it?
Why wasn’t Bergvall despatched off earlier than scoring towards Liverpool?
Spurs supervisor Ange Postecoglou thinks so and didn’t shrink from explaining why after the sport.
“No, he wasn’t [lucky to be on the pitch], as a result of the rule is, and we’ve been instructed for fairly some time now, that if benefit will get performed, so long as it’s not a cynical sort out then the yellow card’s not there,” he instructed Sky Sports activities.
“We’ve been screaming for it for the final two months. It’s occurred to us constantly. Take a look at our video games. We’ve requested the officers they usually’ve stated, ‘If we play benefit, so long as it’s not a cynical sort out, then the yellow card doesn’t get performed.’ Now, to me, that was fairly clear.”
The extent of cynicism within the sort out and, crucially, whether or not it certified as reckless are definitely up for debate however the Reds had been left with a three-on-three simply exterior the Tottenham penalty space as Attwell’s benefit accrued properly for Arne Slot’s facet.
So as to add damage to insult, Tsimikas was off the pitch having acquired therapy when Bergvall scored. Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot is aware of the rule too and highlighted that the character of the problem in query issues as a lot because the benefit.
“When you cease a counter-attack with a reckless problem then he might nonetheless give his yellow however he didn’t see it as a reckless problem. Most likely that’s the second factor we are able to debate about,” he stated to Sky Sports activities.
The Legal guidelines of the Recreation 2024/25 covers disciplinary motion beneath Regulation 12 Part 3, which has a particular part clarifying disciplinary motion in instances during which benefit is performed.
“If the referee performs the benefit for an offence for which a warning/sending-off would have been issued had play been stopped, this warning/sending-off have to be issued when the ball is subsequent out of play,” it reads.
“Nonetheless, if the offence was denying the opposing workforce an apparent goal-scoring alternative the participant is cautioned for unsporting behaviour; if the offence was interfering with or stopping a promising assault, the participant is just not cautioned.”
That’s the clause that backs up Postecoglou’s view however it’s additionally the place issues begin to get extra difficult.
“Benefit shouldn’t be utilized in conditions involving critical foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offence except there’s a clear alternative to attain a purpose.”
Attwell was appropriate to play the benefit. Luis Diaz collected the ball from Bergvall’s problem and Liverpool had been away. However the officers interpreted Bergvall’s would-be offence as “interfering with or stopping a promising assault” and subsequently let him off the hook.
Had they deemed the foul to be price a second warning in its personal proper, Bergvall would have been dismissed and never on the pitch to attain the profitable purpose.
