Ebereechi Eze thought he had fired Crystal Palace in Chelsea on Sunday with a beautiful free kick, but an unusual law was applied to not allow the goal.
The goal would have given visitors a priceless victory during the opening weekend in Stamford Bridge.
Sky Sports explains why it is excluded …
What happened?
Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella committed a mistake on Will Hughes just outside the area and Eze shot the free kick past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to put Crystal Palace forward in the 13th minute.
The VAR James Bell, however, saw that Palace captain Marc Guehi Moises Caicedo had pushed to create an opening for the ball to fly through and thus gone too close to the Chelsea wall when the ball was beaten.
Referee Darren England excluded the goal after consulting the pitchside monitor and announced the decision to Stamford Bridge. He said: “After assessment, the Crystal Palace No. 6 [Guehi] Is less than a meter away from the wall while the shot is made. That is why it is an indirect free kick and an unauthorized goal. “
Chris Sutton from Sky Sports said on co-commentary that the decision was “outrageous” and “extremely hard”.
What does the law say?
The IFAB laws of the game for 2025/26 are: “Where three or more defending team players form a 'wall', all attacking team players must stay at least 1 m (1 yd) of the 'Wall' until the ball is in the game.
“If, if a free kick is taken, an attacking team player is less than 1 m (1 y) of a 'wall' formed by three or more defensive team players, an indirect free kick is awarded.”
Did this happen before?
One similar incident took place last season, although it remained unpunished, which happened to be in favor of Chelsea.
Reece James scored a free kick to rank against Bournemouth in the 95th minute in January.
Two Chelsea players, Marc Cucurella and Tosin, were within a meter from the Bournemouth wall. The goal should have been excluded.
Glasner: Premier League must be careful with Free-Trap Wet
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says that the Premier League must be careful with the law.
“I know we should be a garden of the wall,” he said. “I think we might have a situation in which we sometimes try to block the way everyone does. And of course the block started too early.
“But the Premier League must be careful when they do not allow these types of goals. Because I think that there are blocks around the wall somewhere around the wall. But of course we have to accept it because that is the rule.
“I was a bit surprised, because VAR is treated or treated very carefully here in England, which I really appreciate. It is always about supporting the referee's own field decision.
“My wonderful team, who always looks at all set-plays, will look at it again and find a solution so that in the following case it will no longer happen that the goal is not allowed, and then we can celebrate and hopefully win.”
'VAR is against goals'
Micah Richards said, “There can be no complaints, but it feels like Var is anti-goals.”
Roy Keane added: “Attacking teams must now be aware of this rule. We see players there and always nuisance.
“Guehi almost gone too far by being a nuisance and pushing players. He just had to do it a bit.”