Champions League quarterfinal between FC Barcelona and AC Milan on Camp Nou ended quite predictably. But I can’t get rid of a feeling that this match could bring much more positive emotions to fans all over the globe if THAT second penalty against Milan wouldn't be assigned.
I’m far from blaming Dutch referee Björn Kuipers for “spoiling the game”. He just followed instructions and was simply “doing his job”. In terms of modern interpretations of football rules referee had every right for such decision. But my perception of the “spirit of football rules” tells me that indirect free kick would be a far better option for such cases.
Of course, constant “fights” in the penalty area during corner and free kicks definitely don’t make football more spectacular. But I believe that, in order to counter this perverse effect, refereeing practice must shift from severity to inevitability of punishment. Today many referees aren’t ready to assign a penalty kick for holding inside the penalty area. If the punishment becomes softer their eagerness to counter improper actions of defenders would increase drastically. Inevitability of punishment can help to reduce the dirty fight in the penalty area: corner kick looks much easier to counter than free kick right near your own goal. The only exception should be made for cases when suffering attacker poses a real threat to the goal of defending team.
Moreover, more frequent indirect free kicks could significantly diversify the game and superordinary executions of this element could make football much more spectacular. And all that – “for the good of the game”.
