What They're Saying: Pierluigi Collina

“First of all, I would remind everyone that, for a long time, goalkeepers had to keep both feet on the goal line until a penalty kick was taken. This made it very difficult for a goalkeeper to save apenalty and also for the referees to enforce what the law dictates. Having understood that, we discussed this matter with players and coaches and eventually decided to help goalkeepers by allowingthem to have only one foot on the goal line instead of two. Since that change, their job is definitely easier than before, and it is also easier for them to respect the current law than the previousversion. Then, if a law exists, referees must enforce it — particularly when tools like VAR or GLT are available. For factual decisions, the number of centimeters doesn’t matter. If a ball isover the goal line by few centimeters, a goal must be still awarded. And if a foul is committed within the penalty area by few centimeters, a penalty kick must be given. It is the same for offside asthere is not a ‘small’ or a ‘big’ offside — there is simply an offside.”