A high-profile precedent is unlikely, but still possible
According to British media, the controversial match of the 7th round of the English Premier League between Tottenham and Liverpool (2:1) has a chance of a replay. The loophole could be the subtleties of the Premier League and UEFA regulations.
The first person to publicly talk about a replay was Reds coach Jurgen Klopp. True, the German initially considered this option unlikely.
Let us remind you that in the first half, Reds midfielder Luis Diaz opened the scoring. However, the referee overturned the goal after consulting with the video assistants. In fact, the goal was scored according to the rules, and the referee misunderstood the words of the VAR assistants.
In the end, Tottenham won with a score of 2:1, scoring the winning goal in stoppage time. Note that the Reds finished the match with ten men.
While the Premier League clearly has no intention of setting a historical precedent, analysts who have studied the issue believe there is a loophole.
According to football lawyers, the situation can be qualified not as a “direct error”, but as an “incorrect application of the rules” (since, recall, VAR actually determined the legitimacy of the goal, and the chief referee had a verbal misunderstanding with his colleagues).
In this case, the case could fall outside the jurisdiction of the league and fall under the protest provisions of UEFA. True, Liverpool did not apply to the governing bodies with official protests, and according to the regulations they can be submitted within 12 hours after the game.
The weak point is the regulations of the Premier League itself regarding replays. This force majeure is mentioned in the competition rules only in the event that one of the clubs is clearly guilty of any violation. Other potential controversial cases are not covered by the regulations. The case could become a promising precedent from the point of view of football jurisprudence.
Liverpool are currently deciding what to do next. Previously, the club accepted an apology from England’s governing refereeing body PGMOL, which, in turn, after such a high-profile incident, intends to seriously work on and improve its own protocols.
Thanks to that victory, Tottenham rose to second place in the Premier League. Liverpool are one point behind in fourth place. Today, October 5, Klopp’s team will host the Belgian Union in the second round of the Europa League.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
