The IFAB regulation that outlines why Lucas Bergvall SHOULD have been despatched off

The principle speaking level from final evening’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg was the choice by referee Stuart Attwell to not present Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall a second yellow card for a problem on Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas.

Bergvall had already been booked, albeit harshly after replays confirmed little contact after sliding in on Luis Diaz, when he hacked down Tsimikas because the Greek full-back surged forwards late on on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Attwell had a wonderful view of the incident however, having performed a bonus, opted towards going again to ship off the teenage Swede. 

Liverpool had been livid with captain Virgil van Dijk and supervisor Arne Slot each voicing their frustration to the match officers.

With Tsimikas off the pitch having acquired on-field therapy and Liverpool right down to 10 males, Spurs promptly launched the ball ahead and Dominic Solanke performed in Bergvall to attain the one objective of the sport 4 minutes from full-time. Regardless of some late stress, the hosts held on to take a slender benefit to Anfield for the second leg on February 6.

What the legal guidelines say

Web page 110 of the IFAB Legal guidelines of the Recreation states:

If the referee performs the benefit for an offence for which a warning/sending-off would have been issued had play been stopped, this warning/sending-off have to be issued when the ball is subsequent out of play. 

Nonetheless, if the offence was denying the opposing staff an apparent goal-scoring alternative, the participant is cautioned for unsporting behaviour; if the offence was interfering with or stopping a promising assault, the participant is just not cautioned.

That’s the rule that Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou referred to publish match. In his view, Bergvall’s deal with was ‘stopping a promising assault’ and due to this fact didn’t advantage a reserving.

Nonetheless, the regulation continues…

Benefit shouldn’t be utilized in conditions involving severe foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offence until there’s a clear alternative to attain a objective. The referee should ship off the participant when the ball is subsequent out of play.

Given it was not a state of affairs the place Liverpool had a ‘clear alternative to attain a objective’, Attwell ought to have stopped the sport and despatched Bergvall from the sphere.

“It had a giant affect on the sport”

Arne Slot shares his ideas on whether or not Lucas Bergvall ought to have been on the pitch to attain the successful objective for Tottenham 💭 pic.twitter.com/LAmHueA8rZ

— Sky Sports activities Soccer (@SkyFootball) January 8, 2025

What the managers and gamers stated

Postecoglou stated: “He wasn’t fortunate to be on the pitch [at the time of scoring the goal]. If the benefit will get performed and it’s not a cynical deal with, then it’s not a yellow. We’ve been screaming for it within the final two months and that’s what we’ve been instructed.”

Slot stated: “I feel anybody would like the cardboard was given [for Bergvall] than have benefit performed 40 yards from their very own objective. The opposite query is: was it reckless sufficient to play benefit and are available again and say the deal with was nonetheless reckless? And sufficient to offer a yellow?”

Van Dijk instructed Sky Sports activities: “I feel it was fairly apparent it was going to be a second yellow [for Bergvall]. It was fairly clear. And a minute later he scores the winner … a coincidence.

“He [the referee] made a mistake for my part and I instructed him that. He thinks he didn’t however it was fairly apparent and everybody on the sidelines knew it was presupposed to be a yellow.

“There’s a linesman there, a fourth official there, there’s VAR, a referee and he doesn’t get a second yellow. I’m not saying that is the explanation why we misplaced tonight however it was a giant second within the recreation.”