Anthony Taylor Under Fire

Under Fire for Controversial Calls at EURO 2024 and Europa League Finals

English referee Anthony Taylor has found himself at the center of controversy after his performance in the EURO 2024 quarter-final match between Germany and Spain. Taylor faced heavy criticism for not awarding Germany a penalty in the first half when Jamal Musiala's shot appeared to strike the hand of Spain's Marc Cucurella.

The decision, supported by the video assistant referee (VAR), sparked outrage from the German team and fans. Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann argued that it was a clear penalty and that a less obvious penalty had been awarded to Germany earlier in the tournament.

This was not the first time Taylor has faced scrutiny for his refereeing decisions. In the 2023 Europa League final between Roma and Sevilla, Taylor did not award Roma a penalty when the ball struck the hand of Sevilla's Fernando in the second half. Roma manager Jose Mourinho was furious, calling Taylor a "f***ing disgrace" and accusing him of favoring the Spanish side Sevilla.

After the match, angry Roma fans confronted and harassed Taylor and his family at the Budapest airport, forcing police to intervene and escort him to safety. The controversy led to reports that UEFA would investigate Taylor's performance, but sources later confirmed that UEFA was not unhappy with his officiating and he would still be considered for big matches.

In both the EURO 2024 quarter-final and the 2023 Europa League final, Taylor's decisions were supported by the VAR, but were still heavily criticized as incorrect calls that went against the team that ended up losing the match. The similar nature of the incidents and the backlash Taylor faced suggests a pattern of controversial penalty decisions that have marred his performances in major finals.

Italian media and fans have been particularly critical of Taylor's performance at EURO 2024, claiming Germany were denied a 'clear' penalty and drawing comparisons with the Roma incident, noting repeatedly that "Mourinho was right" to insult him. Multiple refereeing pundits on Italian media outlets confirmed they would've given the penalty against Cucurella for leaning in and dangling his arm to block the shot.

The repeated incidents have damaged Taylor's reputation, casting doubt on his ability to officiate impartially and effectively in crucial matches. The controversy surrounding his decisions has led to renewed calls for scrutiny of his officiating standards and the accountability of refereeing at the highest levels of soccer.

The Bad Tackle

The root-cause of the issue here is the subjectivity of the rule. Everytime a similar incident happens, there will always be contrasting arguments. And, the referee/s are left to make a decision. One of the factors the referee considers is the "intent" of the player. I have always thought of this to be grossly stupid. It's not like match officials are required to specialise in mind-reading courses to get their badges.

The only solution I see here is to remove all considerations from the rule. If any part of the upper extremity wanders away from the torso and touches a live ball, handball should be called.