March 13 – UEFA have re-ignited their attack on football’s lawmakers for making what they say is entirely the wrong call over how to solve the triple punishment rule.
Two weeks ago, the International FA Board recommended lifting the automatic suspension part of the rule but rejected UEFA’s alternative proposal of reducing red cards to yellows when fouls that prevent goalscoring opportunities are not deemed of a serious nature.
Triple punishment came under the spotlight again on Wednesday in Bayern Munich’s 7-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.
Shakhtar suffered the fastest dismissal in Champions League history from the start of a game when Oleksandr Kucher (pictured) was sent off in the third minute for a foul on Mario Goetze which led to a penalty, converted by Thomas Mueller.
“We feel that the current triple punishment rule as it stands puts the referee in a very tough position and leads to decisions which are made that end up having quite a strong influence on the games,” UEFA’s head of media Pedro Pinto told Reuters.
“We feel it is too harsh and kills too many games. Even though the IFAB is looking at to amend a rule for suspension, that does nothing to change what happens on the field. We are trying to make football the best spectacle possible for the fans and the teams on the pitch.”
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