The 2024 European Championships, which begin in Germany in a week’s time, will have “zero tolerance” in terms of refereeing.
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reports, explaining that UEFA refereeing chief Roberto Rosetti would meet with the Italian national team to brief players and staff on refereeing issues, while he and his colleagues would also explain the “sensitive points” and the rest of the participants.
We’re talking about VAR, marking, recoveries and the microchip in the ball, to answer the last questions about offside cases.
The central theme, however, is the protests. That there is a new, more rigorous air is demonstrated by the fact that Vincic, Kovacs and Soares Diaz each showed five yellow cards for protesting in the finals of the three European Cups.
Now, the referees will give all the necessary explanations to the captain, the only one who will have the right to speak to them, while the most “excited” players will immediately receive a yellow card.
For dangerous fouls there will only be red, while for holding in the area there will be no expulsion but a penalty: UEFA noted that in the last European Championship there was no lack of omissions on the subject and does not want the situation to repeat itself.
It is also requested that VAR is not used excessively, in the hope that the final decision will always be made by the referee. The recommendation is to use video only where there is clear evidence of the images. Finally, the issue of microchips in balls.
All balls will have a chip inside, a very expensive technology that is not always possible even in the major leagues.
By combining player position data with artificial intelligence, the chip will help determine the exact moment the ball is hit, making life increasingly difficult for offside players.
Finally, in terms of delays, the objective is not to exceed a total of 10 minutes in a 90-minute match. The new rule of 8 seconds for the goalkeeper to hold the ball (in force from July) will not be brought forward and for now remains at 6 seconds.