During Euro 2024, England captain Harry Kane was seen conversing with Italian referee Daniele Orsato in images captured by Getty Images. The success of the rule implemented during the tournament, where only a team’s captain can communicate with the referee, has led to its implementation in European club competitions as well.
UEFA announced that starting from next season, any player who attempted to approach the referee other than the team captain would be shown a yellow card. This new rule will be applied in the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League. The change has resulted in a significant increase in yellow card bookings, with 166 handed out in the group stage compared to 98 during Euro 2020.
The UEFA stated that these new rules have positively impacted the “image of football” and have helped to foster respect within the sport. With the new season of UEFA club competitions set to begin next week, this approach will be applied to all matches in UEFA competitions moving forward.
