Portuguese refereeing officials have upheld two contentious decisions from a recent FC Porto victory over Braga, offering clarity on rules often misunderstood by fans.
The analysis, featured on the Canal 11 program ‘Livre Arbítrio,’ confirmed the validity of a disallowed goal and a non-penalty call from FC Porto’s 2-1 win over Sporting Braga.
Catarina Campos, a football judge, addressed a goal disallowed for Braga’s Froholdt in the 32nd minute, emphasizing that contact with a goalkeeper in the penalty area is permissible during a challenge for the ball.
“There is still a myth that no one can touch the goalkeeper. Any player can dispute a play with him in the small area,” Campos stated. “In the search for the ball, obviously he can be touched, but in this case there is clearly a charge and in that collision/charge with the use of the arm, obviously that infraction had to be signaled.”
GOLO ANULADO AO SP. BRAGA ⚠️
Catarina Campos: "Isto é um mito que ainda existe, que ninguém pode tocar no guarda-redes. Qualquer jogador pode disputar um lance com ele na pequena área. Na procura da bola, obviamente que pode ser tocado, mas neste caso existe claramente uma carga e nesse choque/carga com o uso do braço, obviamente que tinha que ser assinalada essa infração" pic.twitter.com/f5H4K07z8V
— Canal 11 (@Canal_11Oficial) March 18, 2024
Duarte Gomes, the national technical director of refereeing, discussed a moment in the 65th minute when the ball struck Alan Varela’s arm, rejecting Braga’s penalty claims.
He explained that the contact was unavoidable and the arm position was natural.
“It’s an unexpected ball,” Gomes said. “It’s a close-range shot, unexpected. The player has his arm along his body and note that ‘along the body’ is not having the arm glued to the body. This is a well-signaled play as not punishable because that arm did nothing to go towards the ball.”
BOLA NO BRAÇO DE ALAN VARELA ✋
Duarte Gomes: "É uma bola inesperada. Os jogadores do Braga pedem penálti. É um remate na queima, inesperado. O jogador tem o braço ao longo do corpo e atenção que ao longo do corpo não é ter o braço colado ao corpo. Este é um lance bem sinalizado como não punível porque aquele braço nada fez para ir na direção da bola" pic.twitter.com/OQ4yUqW1kS
— Canal 11 (@Canal_11Oficial) March 18, 2024
Both experts, joined by judge Catarina Campos, reviewed these incidents along with others from the Benfica-Casa Pia and Santa Clara-Sporting matches.