Euro 2020: Hand Or Not? A Breakdown of Germany’s Controversial Scene
Introduction
The match between Germany and Portugal in the UEFA Euro 2020 group stage ended in a 2-4 loss for Germany, but that wasn’t the only drama of the night. In the 51st minute, Germany’s Mats Hummels blocked a shot from Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo with his arm. The referee, Danny Makkelie, did not award a penalty, despite replays showing that the ball clearly hit Hummels’ arm.
The decision has been met with controversy, with many pundits and fans questioning the referee’s judgment. Let’s take a closer look at the incident and see what really happened.
The Incident
The incident occurred in the 51st minute of the match, with Portugal leading 2-1. Ronaldo cut inside from the left and fired a low shot towards the near post. Hummels, who was standing in front of Ronaldo, blocked the shot with his arm.
The referee did not award a penalty, and Portugal went on to win the match 4-2. However, replays showed that the ball clearly hit Hummels’ arm, and that the referee had made a mistake.
The Referee’s Explanation
After the match, referee Makkelie explained his decision not to award a penalty. He said that he did not believe that Hummels had intentionally handled the ball, and that it had hit his arm from close range.
Makkelie’s explanation has been met with skepticism by many, who believe that the referee should have awarded a penalty regardless of whether or not Hummels had handled the ball intentionally.
The Laws of the Game
The Laws of the Game state that a penalty should be awarded if a player “handles the ball deliberately with his hand or arm”. However, the Laws also state that a penalty should not be awarded if the ball hits a player’s hand or arm “from a close-range shot”.
It is up to the referee to decide whether or not the ball hit the player’s hand or arm from a close-range shot. In this case, Makkelie decided that the ball had hit Hummels’ arm from a close-range shot, and therefore did not award a penalty.
Conclusion
The decision not to award a penalty in the Germany vs. Portugal match has been controversial. While the referee has the final say on whether or not to award a penalty, many believe that he made a mistake in this case.
The incident has once again raised questions about the use of VAR in football. VAR is designed to help referees make the correct decisions, but it is only as good as the people using it. In this case, the VAR officials did not overrule the referee’s decision, even though replays showed that the ball had clearly hit Hummels’ arm.
The use of VAR in football is still in its early stages, and there are bound to be teething problems. However, incidents like this one will only serve to increase the pressure on referees and VAR officials to make the correct decisions.
As for Germany, they will be hoping to put this incident behind them and focus on their next match against France.
Kind regards E. Thompson.
