European Football Championship - Hand? Or not? An explanation of the German excitement scene
English translation:
English referee Anthony Taylor followed the handball guidelines of the UEFA during the big scene at the German EM elimination game involving Germany.
Marc Cucurella received a shot from Jamal Musiala in the box during extra time, but Taylor and his team did not call for a penalty. This decision was in line with the instructions given by UEFA referee chief Roberto Rosetti before the tournament.
A comparable example
During a press conference just before the EM, Rosetti showed a similar scene. RB Leipzig's Castello Lukeba received the ball in a similar way in the Champions League game against Manchester City in October 2023: from close range, with an arm hanging down, which also gave way during ball contact. "That's never an penalty," Rosetti said about the scene. The player was trying to avoid contact. The arm was close to the body in a natural position.
The uncertainties
Taylor did not comment on the matter on Friday evening, and the UEFA had been contacted about it. It was also unclear on Saturday whether Niclas Füllkrug was offside during the preceding pass for Musiala. In that case, it would have been irrelevant whether Cucurella's handball was punishable or not.
That's what the national team coach says
Julian Nagelsmann did not want to use the controversial decision as the reason for Germany's elimination from the EM. However, the scene did not leave him alone. "If Jamal's shot goes into the goal, there's a penalty, if it goes to the tribune and that's clear, then there's no penalty, that's relatively simple. He shoots at the goal, probably even into the goal, and there's no penalty, I can't understand that," Nagelsmann said, adding his support for the use of new technology: "There are 50 robots that bring us coffee, then there's also AI that calculates where the cross comes down."
That's what the experts say
Bundesliga referee Patrick Ittrich tried to calm down the debate on the streaming service MagentaTV. "One has to analyze it technically from the referee's perspective: What does the player do during the shot? The player pulls his hand out of the shooting lane during the shot." The expert spoke of a "handball dilemma". Former national player Michael Ballack could not understand it: "That's a clear wrong decision." He did not know whether Taylor and his team had decided against a penalty "out of fear or respect".
- Despite the controversy during Germany's EM elimination game, RB Leipzig's Castello Lukeba faced a similar situation in a UEFA competition, as per UEFA referee chief Roberto Rosetti's demonstration at a press conference.
- In the Champions League game against Manchester City in October 2023, Lukeba received the ball with an arm hanging down close to his body, which gave way during ball contact, but Rosetti declared it was never a penalty situation.
- Germany's National Team coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed his confusion over the penalty decision during the EM game against Spain, stating that if Jamal Musiala's shot went into the goal or cleared the stand, a penalty kick should have been awarded.
- With the Handball guidelines enforced by UEFA, referee Anthony Taylor and his team did not call a penalty kick during the German EM elimination game, much like the scenario involving Manchester City and Lukeba for RB Leipzig.
- The German Football Association (DFB) was contacted about the controversial penalty decision during extra time, but they did not provide any clarification on the matter.
- UEFA, the governing body of European Football Championship, relies on referee Roberto Rosetti to set guidelines and instructions for matches, influencing the decisions made during major tournaments like the EM.
- The Spanish National team advanced in the European Football Championship following a controversial penalty decision, which sparked a debate among soccer experts, coaches, and fans alike.
- English referee Anthony Taylor must adhere to the rules set by UEFA referee chief Roberto Rosetti, ensuring fairness and consistency throughout the tournament, even when difficult decisions need to be made during high-pressure matches.
