UCL: UEFA releases new rules on penalty, VAR, others

UEFA has released a new set of regulations ahead of the upcoming Champions League, Europa League and Conference League seasons.

The regulations stipulate that players are prohibited from handling the ball within the penalty area following a goal kick.

Any such handling will now result in a penalty being awarded, irrespective of the player’s intention to play the ball.

Roberto Rosetti, UEFA’s head of refereeing, disclosed this on Thursday during the Champions League draw held in Monaco.

Rosetti provided the clarification while outlining the refereeing updates for the season, linking it directly to last season’s dispute involving Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

In that incident, Atletico defender Marc Pubill handled the ball to position it on the field before passing it with his foot, despite goalkeeper, Juan Musso having already taken the goal kick.

He also elaborated on UEFA’s new directives regarding the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), emphasising that referees must make independent decisions on the field and cautioning against using VAR to reassess every incident.

He stated: “We want them to be resolute. The Video Assistant Referee is a significant initiative, but we expect the referees on the field to make the calls.

“We do not want the Video Assistant Referee to reassess decisions, nor do we want referees who rely on its input. We seek clear evidence and obvious mistakes that warrant VAR intervention. We do not favour minute situations.”

The comprehensive set of law updates has already been communicated to players, coaches and clubs. UEFA’s objective is to standardise refereeing standards across its competitions, both on and off the field, and enhance consistency in decision-making.

Additionally, the new regulations address time-wasting during substitutions.

A player who takes more than 10 seconds to leave the pitch may face penalties, along with new clarifications regarding injury situations and the resumption of play following goals.