Rome, 10 February 2025 – Penalties as they are today are not fair. Pierluigi collina, president of the arbitration commission of the FIFA, launches an idea that is bound to spark discussion: eliminate the possibility of a rebound on penalties.
Interviewed by La Repubblica, the former race director expressed his point of view:
“There is an excessive gap between the possibilities that the attacker has and those of the goalkeeper. Today, on average, 75% of penalties are scored, often it turns into a bigger opportunity than the one taken away with the foul. In addition, it also gives the possibility to respond to the goalkeeper's rebound. In my opinion, goalkeepers should complain”Said Collina.
The former referee proposes a solution already discussed in theIFAB, the body that decides the rules of football: “One possibility would be to apply the 'one shot' principle, like in penalties after extra time: either you score, or you restart with a goal kick”, he explained. This change would radically change the approach to penalties, reducing the advantage of the attackers and giving goalkeepers a greater chance of defending the goal without the risk of being punished twice.
Article published on 11 February 2025 - 11:12
I agree with Collina that the current penalties are not fair and this is a problem. His proposal to eliminate the rebound could lead to a fairer situation for the goalkeepers, but I don't know if it is the best solution.