Kevin de Bruyne frustrated and confused by handball rule changes
Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne said constant changes to the handball rule in recent years have left players confused when decisions go against them.
City were frustrated after Aymeric Laporte's first-half equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur in their 2-0 loss yesterday morning (Singapore time) was disallowed after the pitchside monitor showed a Gabriel Jesus handball in the build-up.
"I don't know the rules any more, honestly. I thought if it was above the arm here, it's not handball any more with the law changes," City playmaker de Bruyne told Sky Sports while pointing at his sleeve.
"What can we say, I've been playing professional football for about 12 years and the first nine years there was no rule changes and the last three years there's been a lot. I don't know why.
RULE MAKERS
"Football is such a nice game. The guys who make the rules should be people in the game."
Defenders have had a tough time adapting to the new rules after being guilty of unintentionally handling the ball, with referees deeming their arms to be in "unnatural positions" even when it is virtually impossible to avoid contact with the ball.
Goals on the counter-attack from Son Heung-min and Giovani Lo Celso helped Tottenham go top of the table, although they would be displaced if Leicester City defeated Liverpool this morning.
"We are struggling to score goals this season, that can happen," said Guardiola. "They shot two times (on target), two goals and we cannot score with 22 shots." - REUTERS, AFP
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