When analysing the latest IFAB guidance on handball offences, should Udinese’s goal against Juventus have been disallowed?

Rodrigo De Paul thought he’d put Udinese ahead against Juventus in the first half at the Allianz Stadium, but referee Piero Giacomelli disallowed it after a VAR on-field review.

The Argentinean midfielder appeared to touch the ball with his left arm after a shoulder to shoulder challenge with Rodrigo Bentancur at the beginning of the visitors’ move.

When analysing the latest IFAB guidance on handball offences, should Udinese’s goal against Juventus have been disallowed?

Rodrigo De Paul thought he’d put Udinese ahead against Juventus in the first half at the Allianz Stadium, but referee Piero Giacomelli disallowed it after a VAR on-field review.

The Argentinean midfielder appeared to touch the ball with his left arm after a shoulder to shoulder challenge with Rodrigo Bentancur at the beginning of the visitors’ move.

De Paul won possession, passed it to Kevin Lasagna, who set up the Argentinean inside Juve’s penalty area for his finish.

Giacomelli disallowed the goal after a VAR check, but the decision is open to interpretation. IFAB changed the handball rules last summer following a spate of controversial goals disallowed due to barely relevant handling offences.

The new ruling states: “An accidental handball by an attacking player or team-mate will only be penalised if it occurs immediately before a goal or a goalscoring opportunity.

“If an attacking player accidentally touches the ball with their hand or arm and then scores a goal, or the ball goes to another attacking player and they immediately score, this is a handball offence.

“But it is not a handball offence if after an accidental handball the ball travels some distance via a pass or a dribble, or there are several passes before the goal or goalscoring opportunity.”

There are several ways of interpreting the De Paul situation, because while it’s true that there were two passes and some distance travelled between the handball and the goal, it was also the same player who originally scored it.

It can also be argued that De Paul only touched the ball with his wrist because his arm was pushed from behind by Bentancur.

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