The Spanish Referees' Council has announced new changes for the upcoming La Liga season, including changes to how handballs are handled, allowing a sixth substitution in the event of a head injury, and increased penalties for player misconduct.
La Liga 2024/25 is about to kick off. The Referees Committee has spent more than two weeks finalising all the details with its referees, and on Tuesday they officially announced the new guidelines.
hug
The referee team will take a more serious approach to hugging in the penalty area. This is one of the points that the referees will focus on the most. Accordingly, the referee will not give many warnings, but players who hug in the penalty area will be penalized.
An additional change due to concussion
In La Liga and Segunda this season, an additional substitution for concussion has been approved. This means that if a player has a knock to the head and is confirmed by a doctor that he cannot continue, the team will be able to make an additional substitution without having to forfeit one of their five basic substitutions. This means a club can make up to six substitutions in a match.
More players warm up
During the match, up to 5 players per team will be allowed to warm up on the touchline, along with the fitness coach. Until now, in La Liga only 3 players per club were allowed to warm up, which is not the case in European competitions. Each team will do this warm up on the half-way line in their technical area. This change has been introduced in all national leagues.
Handball penalty
In terms of disciplinary action for handball, the change made last season in the way handballs are judged to block shots remains in place. Until then, all such offences were punished with a yellow card unless they prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity, which was equivalent to a red card.
When is a handball foul counted?
- Deliberate handball: when a player intentionally touches the ball with his hand or arm, for example by moving his hand towards the ball.
- Hands in unnatural position: the player takes up more space with his hands/arms, creating a risk and cutting off the opponent's pass or shot. This includes hands or arms clearly separated and away from the body; or hands/arms clearly separated above the shoulder.
- Handball directly leading to a goal, even if accidental: the player scores directly with his hand or arm, even if accidental; or scores a goal immediately after the ball touches his hand or arm, even if accidental.
When is it not a handball?
- Hands in natural position: when the hands are close to or attached to the body and not in an unnatural position that takes up more space.
- Hand supported or directed towards a fulcrum: when the hand is supported or directed towards a fulcrum. The hand serves as a means of support to maintain balance. If the player falls and the hand or arm is between the body and the fulcrum on the ground, but not away from the body to the side or lengthwise.
- Handball after player passes the ball: if the player intentionally passes the ball and the ball touches his own hand/arm.
- Handball from a teammate's pass: if the ball comes directly from a teammate's pass and the ball unexpectedly touches the hand or arm of another defender.
- Goal after the ball accidentally touches a teammate's hand: if a player scores a goal immediately after the ball accidentally touches a teammate's hand or arm.
- Indirect handball goal: a player scores a goal after the ball accidentally touches his hand or arm, but the action is not direct because the ball travels a certain distance, past an opponent…
Avoid penalty
The Technical Referees Committee has stressed to referees that they should not penalise minor fouls, but should only award penalties when there is a clear and serious foul, with a cause-and-effect link, of sufficient intensity to justify the penalty. Similarly, the guidance to VAR referees is that in the case of minor contact, they should not intervene to recommend a penalty, but rather cancel penalties that have been wrongly awarded on the field.
Using VAR
The philosophy of minimal intervention, maximum benefit is maintained. In addition, this season referees will be supported by a semi-automatic offside system, a tool that helps to determine whether a play is offside or not more accurately and quickly.
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Player reaction
The Referee Technical Committee is stepping up its campaign against disruptive behaviour by players and groups of players. It will only allow captains to approach the referee to ask for explanations and discuss certain situations. “This interaction must be done with mutual respect. If this principle is broken, the referee will take the appropriate disciplinary decisions. The remaining players are NOT allowed to approach any member of the referee team and express disagreement with any decision. In case of non-compliance, they will be warned,” the Referee Technical Committee warned.