UEFA rule shows Rodri goal for Man City vs Copenhagen should have been allowed

UEFA's own Champions League rules suggest that referee Artur Dias was wrong to rule out Rodri's strike for Manchester City versus FC Copenhagen for handball.

Rodri thought he had fired City ahead in the 10th minute on the half volley, sending a lovely effort flying into the top corner after Julian Alvarez's knockdown. However, Alvarez had got the ball from Riyad Mahrez, who bought a high dropping ball down under pressure from two defenders.

After being alerted to a potential handball against Mahrez, referee Dias ruled the goal out after looking at a number of replays, adjudging that when the ball dropped, it had brushed Mahrez's arm and therefore constituted handball.

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However, an IFAB rule change in 2021, adopted by the UEFA Champions League, suggests that accidental handballs in the build-up to an opponent scoring a goal should not be penalised. The rule change was confirmed for last season's competition, and no further amendments were made for the 2022/23 edition.

The rule states that handball offences by players who score themselves, even if accidental, are to be penalised — in a move intended to clear up controversial decisions by adding a black-and-white rule to their definition of handball. As part of that, the rules state that: "Accidental handball that leads to a team-mate scoring a goal or having a goal-scoring opportunity will no longer be considered an offence."

As Mahrez was sandwiched between two defenders, both also competing for the dropping ball, he clearly didn't deliberately handle the ball, nor did he gain any advantage. So under the application of that 2021 law change, the referee was wrong to rule Rodri's goal out on the basis of an