Ex-Fifa official: Uefa sent warning as BT Sport footage of Man City controversy emerges
Uefa and Fifa need to take notice after Pep Guardiola admitted he does not understand the handball law as Man City drew 0-0 with Copenhagen last week (11 October).
That is the view of former Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about two controversial decisions in the game.
Man City thought they had opened the scoring through a stunning strike by Rodri only for it to be ruled out for a handball by Riyad Mahrez in the build up.
They were then awarded a penalty for a handball that nobody appealed for and was awarded by VAR.
Guardiola told BT Sport after the game that he no longer understands the handball law.
Asked whether his comments should be a wake-up call to the powers that be, Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “Yes.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, when you’ve got a manager of his experience and intricate knowledge of players and the game as a whole and you take my view as a referee of 50 years, we’re opposite poles but he’s absolutely right.
“All stakeholders in the game are confused that we are getting inconsistent across the board on handball decisions.
“I know they are subjective so you’ll never get total consistency.
“I’m very clear that the changes they have made to the handball law have actually made it more difficult. Instead of a narrowing of the gap towards consistency, it’s actually moved away from it.
“You are getting senior referees disagreeing on what is and what is not a handball.
“Uefa cannot come in and Fifa cannot come in and say ‘That is and that isn’t’ because I can argue the opposite.
“I think it’s simple. Handball has to be deliberate to be penalised. Ok, I’ll live with an accidental handball that leads to a goal. I’ll live with that, you cannot score a goal with your hand.”
In other news, a Man City payout has doubled amid a £5.5million reveal.