Why Mbappé's cheeky goal against Shakhtar was correctly disallowed
Confusion reigned when Kylian Mbappé had a goal chalked off after dispossessing Shakhtar keeper Trubin, but the referee was spot on according to IFAB rules.
Kylian Mbappé thought he’d pulled a fast one on Shakhtar’s keeper Trubin, but the referee wasn’t having any of it.
The Incident
Social media went into meltdown in the closing minutes of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk when Kylian Mbappé had a goal disallowed after pinching the ball from goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin during a goal kick situation.
Many Madrid supporters were left scratching their heads, convinced the French superstar had legitimately won possession before slotting home what would have been another goal to his tally.
The Rule Explained
Referee Davide Massa was absolutely spot on with his decision, and here’s why:
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According to IFAB Rule 12.2, it’s considered a foul when a player prevents an opposing goalkeeper from “releasing the ball from the hands, playing it or attempting to play it when the goalkeeper is in the process of releasing it”
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In this specific incident, Trubin had dropped the ball from his hands to kick it, and was in the middle of his goal kick routine
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Even though Mbappé didn’t make physical contact with Trubin, the rule protects the goalkeeper’s right to complete the goal kick process unimpeded
Not Mbappé’s Finest Hour
It was a bit of a mare for the Frenchman, who clearly thought he’d been clever, but the rules are crystal clear on this one. The goalkeeper must be allowed to complete both the hand and foot portions of their distribution without interference.
While Mbappé might have felt hard done by, Massa was simply applying the laws of the game correctly - something that doesn’t always happen in the heat of Champions League football!
Let’s be honest, even if it would have been a right Bobby Dazzler of a goal, rules are rules. The Madrid faithful might not like it, but there’s no room for argument on this occasion.