Beijing Time (CEST) September 9 – The Premier League's KMI panel has ruled that Maatsen's reckless challenge on Guimarães should have resulted in a penalty and a second yellow card.

The KMI panel independently reviews key decisions in every Premier League match. During the 2024/25 season, the Premier League publishes the KMI panel's findings weekly on its official website and app, ensuring full transparency in refereeing assessments.

In the second round of matches, 21 critical refereeing decisions were assessed, with the panel deeming 76% of on-field decisions correct. After VAR intervention, 90% of decisions were deemed correct.

Incident: Maatsen's challenge on Guimarães – no penalty awarded (90+8 minutes). On-field decision: Incorrect – foul by Maatsen.

KMI panel: The panel believes Maatsen's reckless challenge on Guimarães should have been sanctioned with a penalty. The attacking player's standing leg was clearly contacted and Maatsen did not touch the ball. VAR outcome: Incorrect – clear and obvious error (0:5). KMI panel: The panel also believes VAR should have intervened, as the non-awarded penalty was a clear and obvious error. The panel considers this challenge excessively reckless and therefore a second yellow card should have been issued.

One of the Premier League's refereeing principles is to maintain a high threshold for VAR intervention. VAR is not meant to review every decision; it intervenes only when subjective error reaches a high threshold and is supported by clear evidence, taking into account the refereeing standards established during the match itself. Maintaining a high intervention threshold also helps improve consistency in VAR decisions.

However, in this decision, the panel believes a penalty should have been awarded following this reckless challenge and that the VAR intervention threshold had been met. Therefore, VAR should have intervened and recommended an on-field review for this clear and obvious error.

Furthermore, the panel believes Maatsen's challenge on Guimarães was excessively reckless and should have resulted in a second yellow card. Had VAR recommended an on-field review, the referee would have retained all options, including the authority to show Maatsen a second yellow card.

Tradotto dall'IA.

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