PRE-EURO2020 COURSE FOR ASSISTANT REFEREES

OFFSIDE – Deflection vs deliberate play

Bertino Miranda / Andrea Stefani / Maciej Wierzbowski
AR UEFA Coaches
Gaining advantage
Gaining advantage: keywords
Deflection vs deliberate play
Deflection vs deliberate play

• DELIBERATELY PLAYING THE BALL

When a defender with his foot clearly moves towards the ball (even instinctively), his
action should be considered as deliberately PLAYING the ball, not deflection.

• DEFLECTION
In principle, a “deflection” should be deemed mainly in situations when the ball HITS a
defender or when he clearly BLOCKS shot at goal / pass.
Deflection vs deliberate play
Deflection vs deliberate play

• time after last attacker touch: enough for defender to decide ?

• player goes to the ball or ball goes to the player ?

• one step play or two steps play?

Deflection vs deliberate play
Deflection vs deliberate play

• time after last attacker touch: enough for defender to decide ?

• player goes to the ball or ball goes to the player

• one step play or two steps play ?

• quality of play DOES NOT matter; intention is relevant

• wait&see: be sure that defenders can not make a deliberate play anymore

• keep refereeing on the pitch: DO NOT WAIT FOR VAR

Deflection vs deliberate play
Save
Save

• is the only deliberate play which leaves the offside offence

• Is not only by the goalkeeper but also by the defenders

• it does not matter where the save is made

• it does matter where the ball is going : VERY close to the goal

• Outcome of the save does not matter : the attempt is enough

• keep refereeing on the pitch : DO NOT WAIT FOR VAR

Save
Group discussion