The high chiefs at the UEFA and FIFA are always busy trying to renew and improve the sport we all love. They introduced VAR a few years ago and introduced a bunch of new rules at the start of this football season. Some of the new rules are clearly better than others. The new handball rule is one of the rules with the biggest influence on football matches and the results.

2019-2020 new football rules

This is a short list of the new rules introduced at the start of the 2019-2020 season:

• No more attacking players allowed in wall at free-kicks
• Goal kicks don’t need to leave the 18-yard box
• Player must leave the pitch at nearest point at substitution
• The coin toss winner can pick either half of the pitch or to take first kick-off
• Managers can get yellow and red cards
• Keeper must touch goal-line at a penalty kick
• Drop ball no longer competitive
• Handball: Accidental offences deemed free kicks

For a complete explanation of these new rules you can go to this article on Goal.com. The rule about players leaving the pitch on the nearest point is one of the best rules for me.

New handball rule

The new handball rule got me frustrated from the moment it’s introduced. I can remember that football was a sport for the fans. Fans go to matches or watch it on tv and want to see exciting play and goals. That’s why in the past many rules where there to accommodate the attacking team. When in doubt, advantage for the attacking team. Now they managed to create a rule where the attacking team is in disadvantage. I really don’t understand why they created this rule. I’ve seen several goals over the weekend where this rule got activated and it’s a real fuck-up.

Everybody remembers Gabriel Jesus’ goal against the Spurs, which got disallowed because it came against the arm of Laporte. Laporte who never saw the ball coming and had no idea it’s touched his arm. If it was a situation on the other side of the pitch and it touched Laporte’s arm, no penalty would have been given. That’s why I don’t understand this rule at all. I think they need to change this rule asap. Either they cancel this new rule, or they make every contact with the hand and arm in the 18-yard box a foul. No goal when it’s hits an attackers’ hand, penalty when it touches a defenders’ hand.