FIFPro in mercy plea to UEFA over suspended players

The international players' union has issued a call for clemency by UEFA for six Chelsea and Bayern Munich players suspended for the UEFA Champions League final.

Seven players in total are set to be banned for the Munich showpiece, with three from each side unavailable after picking up yellow cards in the semi-finals.

John Terry must also serve a suspension after being shown a red card in Chelsea's extraordinary victory over Barcelona.

But FIFPro says it is unfair for the other players to be suspended and says there is an argument for them to be allowed to play.

The players' union points out that UEFA will adopt FIFA's policy for Euro 2012 where existing yellow cards are waived after the quarter-finals.

The Chelsea players are Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles, with Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber from Bayern.

FIFPro spokesman Simon Barker said: "Anybody committing a serious offence in the semi-final should be awarded a red card and miss the final.

"But the offences that result in a yellow card do not justify the serious punishment of missing the match of your life.

"For example, Alaba slipped over and gets the ball kicked against his hand - it is not right that such a player should miss the Champions League final because of this.

"Some people say that this will give players the licence to kick all and sundry during the semi-final, but that is utter nonsense.

"Any serious offence will result in a red card and that still means exclusion from the final."

jiopsi wrote:They can't change the rules during the season. If they would change it, the competition would have to be restarted.

rwo power wrote:I think they could change the rules there as it doesn't affect any other teams than the two in the final, especially as they would both get 3 players back, so it would be even.

jiopsi wrote:

rwo power wrote:I think they could change the rules there as it doesn't affect any other teams than the two in the final, especially as they would both get 3 players back, so it would be even.

It wouldn't be fair to the other teams who had players suspended, or players who were afraid of third yellow. There is no chance this rule change happening.

jiopsi wrote:

rwo power wrote:I think they could change the rules there as it doesn't affect any other teams than the two in the final, especially as they would both get 3 players back, so it would be even.

It wouldn't be fair to the other teams who had players suspended, or players who were afraid of third yellow. There is no chance this rule change happening.

Six Chelsea and Bayern München players will miss the Champions League final, because of yellow cards awarded in the second semi-final against Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. FIFPro pleads for acquittal.

FIFA ruled that, starting with the World Cup 2010, yellow cards awarded to players would be waived after the quarter finals. This means that a card awarded in the semi-final would no longer mean that the player could miss the match of his life, as, for example, happened to Michael Ballack in the 2002 World Cup. Everybody remembers the tears of Paul Gascoigne, when he was shown the fatal yellow card during the semi-final against West Germany in the 1990 World Cup.

The FIFA ruling has been adopted by the UEFA and will apply during the coming EURO 2012. Anybody who is awarded a red card or two yellow cards in the semi-final will, of course, be excluded from the final.

FIFPro applauds this decision. A final of the World Cup or European Championship is a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience, one which a player works for throughout his career. That he should miss this because of a sometimes petty or unfortunate offence is, in the eyes of the worldwide players’ union FIFPro, unreasonable and disproportionate. In addition, all footballs fans want to see the best players in action in ‘the match of the year’, which is played under the eyes of the world.

Unfortunately, this ruling has not yet been adopted in the Champions League, yet the same arguments apply as for the World Cup and European Championship finals. Because of this, six Chelsea and Bayern München players will, on 19 May, miss the match of their lives. FIFPro therefore proposes that from now on, yellow cards awarded after the first semi-final of the Champions League should be waived.

The six players are: Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires, Raul Meireles (all Chelsea) and Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba (photo) and Holger Badstuber (all Bayern).

Simon Barker of FIFPro: ‘Anybody committing a serious offence in the semi-final should be awarded a red card and miss the final. But the offences that result in a yellow card do not justify the serious punishment of missing the match of your life. Alaba who slips over and gets the ball kicked against his hand; it is not right that such a player should miss the Champions League final because of this.’

Barker of FIFPro's Technical Committee adds: ‘Some people say that this will give players the licence to kick all and sundry during the semi-final, but that is nonsense. Any serious offence will result in a red card and that still means exclusion from the final. Incidentally, yellow cards awarded in the final don’t have any further consequences, and that hasn’t given rise to rough matches has it?’

Art Morte wrote:Rules are rules and they shouldn't be changed during the competition.

jiopsi wrote:They can't change the rules during the season. If they would change it, the competition would have to be restarted.

VivaStPauli wrote:This would have no effect at all on previously played matches, it wouldn't give an advantage to either of Bayern or Chelsea, it wouldn't retroactively screw over any of the teams that got knocked out - it would just make the final more fun.

Zealous wrote:Jiopsi just wants Barca to get another bite at the cherry. lol

VivaStPauli wrote:

Zealous wrote:Jiopsi just wants Barca to get another bite at the cherry. lol

Sounds a lot like what you said last night.


This is supposed to sound like filthy innuendo, am I doing it right?