10 March 2023 , 10:07
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Pierluigi Collina has questioned the amount of time Andy Madley added on to the end of Liverpool's famous 7-0 win against Manchester United last weekend.
Legendary official Collina, who is in charge of FIFA's referees committee, thinks more time should have been added on to the end of the Premier League game. The Italian is worried the decision could have an impact on goal difference come the end of the term.
Madley added just three minutes on to the end of Liverpool's record-equalling win against their bitter rivals - despite there being six goals, 10 substitutions and multiple VAR reviews. Collina is not impressed by Madley's decision to end the game early.
Pierluigi Collina has questioned the Premier League's standard of refereeing (Getty Images)Collina also questioned the decision to add just four minutes onto the end of Brighton's 4-0 against West Ham last Saturday. "Last weekend, 10 matches were played in the Premier League and four matches exceeded 100 minutes [in total]," said Collina.
"Two of them should have been higher than this only because they were 7-0 and 4-0 and the referee probably decided not to consider the additional time be given accurately. Six goals were scored in the second half [at Anfield]."
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Collina, who refereed the 2022 World Cup final in Japan and South Korea, was speaking at a briefing on Thursday. He added, "I can understand that giving quite a relevant amount of additional time when it is 7-0 is difficult to understand in this specific match.
Andy Madley failed to add on sufficient time during Liverpool's 7-0 win against Manchester United (Getty Images)Do you agree with Pierluigi Collina? Let us know in the comments below!
"But if the regulations of the competition say that the entire goal difference is relevant for the ranking at the end, even one goal scored or not scored can make the difference."
In fairness to Collina, goal difference can be decisive at the end of a season. Three years ago, Wolves missed out on a place in Europe by just three goals when they finished seventh in the Premier League, marginally below Tottenham in sixth.
The International Football Association Board, which determines the laws of football, is happy for games to last more than 100 minutes to help eradicated time-wasting and the short-changing of fans. This was evident at the recent World Cup in Qatar.
Collina's comments place more pressure on the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the organisation responsible for referees in the UK. PGMOL has come under fire recently for several mistakes involving the Video Assistant Referee system.
Howard Webb, who officiated the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa, was appointed PGMOL's first chief refereeing officer to help the body clean up its act. In December, Webb told BBC Sport "everything is on the table" when it comes to improving VAR.
"We are looking at whatever way we can to pull that curtain back, to show the world the processes that go into making decisions, the rationale for decisions being taken," said Webb. "People might not always agree with the final outcome but if they understand how we have got there, there is a much greater level of acceptance."