by The duel between Rennes and the Villarreal It was one of those decisive matches that will amaze the football lover. The ‘yellow submarine’ managed to qualify directly for the round of 16 of the European League, yes, sweating Chinese ink. The French responded immediately to every so often from the ‘groguet’ team. However, the goal that Rennes scored in the 101st minute, which qualified them directly to the round of 16, was annulled by a rule unknown to many.
Assignment unleashed madness in the Roazhon Park tying the game when it was dying in injury time. The fans were already celebrating Rennes’ qualification for the round of 16, but the referee put his hand on the earpiece. Neither the players, nor the fans, nor even the commentators understood why the French team’s goal was being reviewed. However, the VAR acted quickly, annulling the decisive goal with the complete certainty that it was not regulation.
Villarreal was saved in the 101st minute thanks to the fact that Rennes’ goal came from a direct free kick that Le Fee hit the crossbar. The infraction was committed when the ball bounced directly at Le Fee’s feet without any other player having touched it before. The regulation says that the thrower cannot touch the ball again if no one else has intervened in the play. In this way, the entire play after Le Fee’s direct free kick was invalidated.
After the dramatic defeat, the Rennes coach, Julien StephanHe said he had boarded an “emotional elevator” and admitted that he was unaware of that rule: “I knew the rule existed for penalties, I didn’t know it existed for free kicks.”
That wall by Le Fee and the crossbar was a real splash of cold water for Rennes that left them without their qualification for the round of 16 and that saved Villarreal ‘in extremis’.
