Against all odds, we’re going to have a UEFA Champions League final not involving either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
I have no problem with this; Bayern Munich were deserved winners over two legs against Madrid, while Chelsea’s rear-guard action to get over the top of a Barcelona team that held 83 percent possession in the second leg shouldn’t be understated.
But here’s what I am a bit annoyed with: five minutes into that tie at the Bernabeu, Madrid winger Angel di Maria has a shot, a sliding David Alaba blocks the ball and given his body position, clearly has no control over his limbs at this point. The ball strikes his arm and it’s a penalty. An unintentional handball, but a call I have no problem with.
However, the 19-year-old defender is booked, and typically, he was one of the players ‘walking the tightrope’ of a yellow card ban in his next match. He will now be deprived of playing in a Champions League final thanks to some overzealous card waving.
It wasn’t an act of violence, thuggery or cynicism. It was an involuntary action, with consequences that should have begun and ended in the game he was playing in, not stretching to the next European game the young man would have played.
Holger Badstuber was the best player on the pitch, yet he will also miss the final. Luis Gustavo joins him as they both picked up bookings in extra-time. How fair is that?
They played through the 90 minutes and were cautioned in additional time; time that their opponents in the final did not have to play and as such run the risk of having more players suspended. These cards at the very least should be rescinded for the big game. But of course, they won’t be.
It doesn’t end there. Let’s go back a day. John Terry was sent off for violent conduct. A fair enough punishment for another act of thuggery in JT’s career (although shame on Sanchez for the way he acted; there wasn’t much contact).
He should rightly be suspended and he will miss the final. He’s not alone though; almost half of the Chelsea starting XI from that day will not be playing with Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles joining their skipper on the sideline.
A couple of those bookings were a tad ridiculous. Ivanovic was booked for protesting the penalty awarded against Didier Drogba for what, every time I watch it, seems more and more like a dive from Fabregas.
Ramires was also yellowed for arguing with the referee, just minutes before his sublime finish that turned the tie for the Blues. Are we going to deny the world of quality like that over something as miniscule as arguing with a referee?
John Obi Mikel has come out and pleaded publicly with UEFA to overturn the bookings. I’m sure that this would cause some angst in the Bayern camp, if they too did not have three players missing the final after picking up a yellow.
Here’s my solution: grant the two teams the option to ‘amnesty’ suspensions, on a particular player or players. As long as it’s equal and agreed upon by all parties, who cares?
It’s not going to benefit Barcelona to see Raul Meireles sitting on the sidelines, ditto Alaba and Real Madrid.
For example, Ramires is going to miss the final. So is Luis Gustavo. Similar players, both vital to their teams. Could the two managers not simply get together and agree that both players could have their suspensions overturned? It doesn’t disadvantage anyone and more players get to play in the final.
In this particular case, both teams are without three stars. A straight-up swap could be organised, and all six could have their suspensions overturned. John Terry still misses the final, so everybody wins!
Of course, in a situation where both teams did not have the same number of suspensions, they would have to come to an agreement with the other to work out who could have their suspension dissolved, if anyone.
Let’s imagine for a second that Chelsea was going to lose Frank Lampard for the final and Bayern were going to lose, say, Ivica Olić. Bayern would be perfectly within their rights to not allow the amnesty, as Lampard is clearly more vital to Chelsea, than the Croatian back-up striker is to Bayern.
Of course, people will argue that rules are rules and that we need to follow them. But when so many rules in football are ridiculous, why not try and find a solution that doesn’t deprive players of playing in a Champions League final.
It probably still haunts Michael Ballack that he missed a World Cup final. Thankfully, FIFA had the foresight to change that rule so that now yellow cards reset after the quarter-finals.
And in a world that FIFA is making better decisions than you, you really need to have a long look at yourself. Aim up, UEFA.
Bondy
Guest
It can seem somewhat deflating in relation to the Champs Lge yellows and the final ,I think something like six players will miss the final including self muppet J Terry "Red" .To watch those Champs Lge games during the week and to note the players were dropping like nine pins with yellow card offences relatively trivial fouls personally, but thats life .
PeterK
Guest
The bit about a "lottery" interests me, The Cattery. I'm always fascinated by the Law which tells us what to do when full-time, extra-time, and even penaty-shots can't solve a match (the last might occur if there are no lights or at places where there are lights and the lights fail) -- if there's no decision after all that, then the referee is instructed to ................... toss a coin to decide the winner! Now there's a lottery for you!
PeterK
Guest
Yes, Ian, it seems Johnno thinks it was God's hand and not Maradonna's! However, Johnno, I agree the cards (and the bans) should stand!
Colin N
Guest
They introduced the rule when Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005 and finished outside the top-four.
wickedlenny
Roar Rookie
Allowing an amnesty to Chelsea for the final would strengthen their side - if they win the final, and finish fifth in the EPL, they would still qualify for the tournament next year at the expense of the fourth placed side, am i right? That wouldn't seem fair.
Colin N
Guest
"there was no ‘cheating’ or ‘fouling’ and two of the remaining incidents occurred in extra time which, as I said, unfairly favours Chelsea." Why does it favour Chelsea? Bayern should have won it in normal time then. They were clearly the better side, less fatigued, but they slowed the tempo and tightened things in the second half. Those tactics are fine, but then you can't say it favours Chelsea when Bayern's tactics helped the game go to extra time. I agree with the sentiment of the article, although some of the points are bizarre, such as Maradona somehow being an epitomy of fair play and arguing with the referee being acceptable.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Yeh, but it's not great that you end up with a tight rope with refs making inconsistent, flimsy calls that don't stand up to scrutiny - and that's precisely what you get at World Cups. Too much of a lottery for my likiing, and what's more, a lottery in which the minnows always come out second best.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Good call Matt. I can remember one game when Carlos Hernandez was having the bejeezus hacked out of him, but he was given first one duibious card, followed by another soon after for diving (when in fact there had been about as much contact on him as there had been on the Berisha penalty the other day) - so all of a sudden, the bloke getting hacked, the one eveyrone is paying to see play - is off!! It's these sorts of instances than can drive someone absolutely mental. All of a sudden for something that looks 50/50, a team is forced to play with 10 men, and quite naturally, it ruins the game, because it becomes quite predictable how both teams will play from then on.
wisey_9
Roar Guru
"Are we going to deny the world of quality like that over something as miniscule as arguing with a referee?" It's sentiments like these that enrage me. Arguing with a referee is something that is unacceptable at all times. Especially in pro football. He has made his call - the players need to respect that. I don't know about anyone else, but I LOVE that the World Cup is such a tightrope when it comes to yellow cards. One too many poor challenges and all of a sudden a squad is having its depth questioned. It just adds to the drama and the intrigue.
Brian
Guest
The rules are rules and it is not right to start distinguishing between types of yellow cards. If Lampard was suspended for his almost red tackle on Fabregas, would his suspension stay whilst Ramires "lesser" yellow is revoked. The rule rightly assists those who play the game. If Real had made the final they would rightly benefit from playing an opponent who "parked the bus" to get there. Your one strong point is allowing an amnesty if both competing clubs were to agree, however again it is getting into complicated territory. Chelsea have a heavier fixture before the Final than Bayern. They might be happy to play Ivanovic & Terry in every game left in the EPL & FA Cup whilst Cahill & Luiz recover from injury. More dangerous would be the precedent set. The door to under-handed deals in finals would be opened.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
Well, I think it was to do with the fact that his arms were not by his side. He was sprawled across the ground but yeah, the handball rule is a tricky one. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4524354.stm This is a good article to help understand when a handball is given despite it clearly not being 'intentional'
langou
Roar Guru
"An unintentional handball, but a call I have no problem with." Correct me if i am wrong but shouldn't it only be a foul if it was intentional. An unintentional hand ball is play on
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
John Terry will miss the final for a straight red which was deserved. In many cases, yellow cards are handed out over-zealously and in three of the cases (Alaba, Ivanovic, Ramires) there was no 'cheating' or 'fouling' and two of the remaining incidents occurred in extra time which, as I said, unfairly favours Chelsea. I wouldn't be so quick to label things 'daft' given that FIFA now wipes away yellows after the quarter-finals of the world cup. Daft, indeed.
mp
Guest
terrible idea. surely there is too many professional fouls and ugly scenes of umpire dissent as it is.
Damiano
Guest
A yellow card amnesty is a daft idea which will only encourage cheating & fouling.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Ah, usually if a ref is dishing the cards out there is reason for it, often revolving around player demeanour and what is being said on a pitch. A challenge that may look innocuous to the stands may have been delivered with the sort of body language that lets the ref know that this player wouldn't mind causing an injury or two and needs to be pulled up hard. As bad a spectacle a heavily officiated match is, it beats one where the referee has lost control and the players are going at each other like dogs, particularly given the chances of crowds becoming involved.
Fivehole
Guest
Alaba is the only one with a case. The others got what they deserved. I hate the way they descend upon the ref, gesticulating en masse for every decision, even when replays show they are obviously milking decisions or committing obvious fouls. I think there should be more yellows. The players need to learn to play to the rules.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Hockey had a green card that acted as a warning which was useful
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
Matt, i agree with the general thread of your piece that soft yellows can destroy the spectacle of following games. When ref's give out yellow cards like they are free lollies it's unfair that two yellows in two separate games equals a suspension. I cant imagine the possibility of a player amnesty/swap ever being accepted. To me it's as if you need another form of card, a 'yellow' card that applies for the current match for a minor infringement (so if you get another yellow in the same game you are still sent off) but doesn't have any carry-over effect. Even as i write it though, i know it's never going to happen.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
"Maradona who only wanted to play beautiful football and win for there teams and not engage themselves in cheating in any way eg handballs," Thats Diego "Hand of God" Maradona, right ? Not some other Maradona ? Short bloke, Argentinian ?