News Focus
- Bayern Munich lost 6-5 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals
- Two disputed handball decisions angered players and fans during both legs of the tie
- Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says current rules have too many exceptions and grey areas
- The Bayern chief wants reforms completed before the next World Cup begins
Bayern Munich supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has demanded immediate changes to football’s handball laws. He believes the current regulations are too confusing and created major problems during his club’s recent Champions League exit.
The German giants lost 6-5 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. Two disputed handball decisions caused anger during both matches.
In the first match in Munich, officials gave PSG a penalty. The ball struck Alphonso Davies’ arm after Ousmane Dembélé shot at goal. However, in the return match in Paris, Bayern did not receive a penalty for a similar incident. Vitinha’s shot hit his teammate João Neves on the arm, but referees ignored appeals because of an exception for contact between players from the same team.
Rummenigge spoke to German magazine Kicker about these incidents. He said the tie proved that officials must simplify the rules immediately.
“Our match against PSG showed clearly how urgently we need to reform the handball law,” the 70-year-old stated. “The rules must become simple again. I have never heard so many arguments about handballs in a stadium as I did last week.”
He explained that rule-makers have added too many exceptions. This has created large grey areas and too much room for different interpretations.
Rummenigge offered his own solution. He believes a handball should only occur when a player deliberately touches the ball, or when they make their body bigger than natural to gain an advantage.
“During my playing career, handball decisions were clear and simple,” he added. “Now everything is uncertain and grey.”
The former striker wants changes before the next World Cup. He fears that complicated rules could decide who wins the tournament if reforms do not happen quickly.
“This law must become clear and certain again,” he argued. “We need reform urgently, preferably before the World Cup starts. Otherwise, we will see many more disputed handball decisions that could decide the world champions.”