In the upcoming season of UEFA club competitions, a rule that was implemented during Euro 2024 will be carried over. The rule states that only a team’s captain can communicate with the referee, and any other player who attempts to approach the referee will be shown a yellow card. This change has led to an increase in yellow card bookings, with 166 handed out in the group stage compared to 98 during Euro 2020.
The success of this rule has led UEFA to implement it in all UEFA club competitions, including the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League. 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 set to begin next week, this approach will be applied to all matches in UEFA competitions moving forward.
During Euro 2024, England captain Harry Kane was seen conversing with Italian referee Daniele Orsato in images captured by Getty Images. Kane’s actions were allowed since he was the team captain and had been communicating with the referee on behalf of his teammates.
