New Delhi: There is going to be a new rule that is going to be implemented in the Bundesliga, starting from the 2024/25 season. The rule was initially tested out in the recently concluded UEFA Euro 2024 and is being implemented in the football matches at the ongoing Summer Olympics in Paris. It will now be a permanent feature in the Bundesliga and the Bundesliga 2, the top two divisions of German Football.
The rule in question is the ‘Captain’s rule’ which only permits the captain of the team to speak to the referee regarding any decision the referee makes. Since the rule was first tested out in the European Championships that occurred in Germany, the country has now decided to utilize the new rule in the country’s leagues as well. According to UEFA, this new ‘captain’s rule’ will, “shape the relationships between referees and players on the field, enhance communication around referees’ decisions and encourage mutual trust.”
Any player i.e. non-captains, who break this rule and go to complain or behave inappropriately with the referees will be branded with a yellow card. The captain must take responsibility for his players and ensure that his teammates are showing respect to the referee and not surrounding him after a decision they don’t agree with. Having only the captain speak to the referee would help in resolving disputes quickly.
The Bundesliga will adopt the complaints rule from the Euros which states that only the team captains may discuss decisions with the referees in the new season.
Leverkusen will have a special status though because Lukas Hradecky is currently the captain. All clubs who have… pic.twitter.com/G0ccGI4FUo
— WerkselfXtra (@bayer04Xtra) July 24, 2024
For teams like Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, TSG Hoffenheim, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Eintracht Frankfurt, all of whom have goalkeepers as their captains, they will nominate an outfield player (presumably the vice-captain) to have a word with the referee regarding any decision, rather than leaving their position in goal as that would only cause unnecessary delays and that would be counter-productive.
When the rule was implemented in the UEFA European Championships in the summer, the interruption in play was much shorter and the discussions on the pitch were far fewer. Given the success that we saw with the rule’s implementation over the summer, that encouraged the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, the German Football Association (DFB) and the DFB Schiri GmbH to apply the rule throughout German football.
Starting from the 2024/25 season, this rule will be implemented in all tiers of German football while also being used in the cup competitions. Moreover, the rule will also extend to the women’s national leagues and the youth and amateur divisions of German football. The DFL’s Director of Match Operations and Fans, Ansgar Schwenken, also came out in support of this new rule.
He said, “After we campaigned for rigorous punishment of unsportsmanlike conduct last season, the implementation of the ‘captain rule’ is the logical next step for even more fairness and respect.” Apart from the captain’s rule, the referees for the upcoming season have also been encouraged to take action against actions that cause time-wasting delays such as kicking the ball away in the upcoming season.
This new rule was first implemented in the UEFA Euro 2024 and will be implemented in all UEFA club competitions going forward, in addition to the Bundesliga. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
