Question Number: 26147

Law 11 - Offside 4/6/2012

RE: Rec. Adult

John Ohannessian of Louisville, CO United States asks...

This question is for the top elite referees here:
In the second game between Barcelona vs AC Milan, on April 3rd, here is the video higlight:
http://www.soccer-blogger.com/2012/04/03/barcelona-vs-ac-milan-3-1-2012-champions-league-highlights-messi-penalties-iniesta-nocerino-goals-video/

(it is the second video from the top)
at around the 1:44 mark, the refreee called a penalty against AC Milan, even though Messi came from an offsides position.
My question: was this penalty the correct call or was the referee wrong and Messi should have been ruled offside?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
While Messi Barcaleona was in an offside position the ball was played to him by Nesta AC Milan No 77. As a player cannot be offside when the ball is played to him by an opponent, so Messi could not be called offside here and the referee and assistant made the correct call.
That should not be confused with when the ball rebounds / deflects off an opponent to a player in an offside position when the ball is last played by a team mate. Offside would be called as that under Law 11 is deemed to be 'gaining an advantage by being in that position'

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Barcelona #10 plays the ball. Barcelona #6 is in an offside position but White opponent intercepts and plays the ball to Barcelona #10. There can be no offside as an opponent played the ball. 77 White then clearly trips Barcelona #10 inside the penalty area. The proper call is the penalty kick which was awarded.
Is there any discussion anywhere that this should have been offside on Barcelona? The ball was controlled and played by an opponent. This was not a simple deflection, hence no offside possible

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Basic offside says the player in an offside position is only called for offside if he, while in an offside position, receives the ball which was last touched or played by a teammate. Since the ball was last played by a defender, we cannot even get to offside. In a case like this, the defender screwed up, and offside position is irrelevant. The referee team got it exactly correct.

If the defender had simply deflected the ball, not actually controlled and played it, we can consider the ball as last touched or played by the teammate, as the deflection doesn't count. But all of that changes when the defender has control of the ball, as here.