However, whereas handball was previously only penalised if deliberate, new rules which came into effect
this summer mean some accidental offences can now also be punished.
According to Law 12, a player who “gains possession/control of the ball after it has touched their hand/arm”
and then creates a goal-scoring opportunity is guilty of a handball offence.
Gabriel Jesus remonstrates with referee
Michael Oliver after his goal is ruled out
(AFP/Getty)Wolverhampton Wanderers were similarly punished on the opening weekend, when Leander Dendoncker’s
goal against Leicester City was ruled out for a deflection off Wily Boly’s arm.
De Bruyne accepted the decision but questioned the new regulations, joking that players may need to lose
limbs in order to ensure they stay on the right side of the law.
“They made this rule, it’s new,” he said. “When I saw the video, it’s impossible to take his arm away, what
can he do, should he chop his arm off and play without it?”
City were perplexed by the decision
(AFP/Getty)Nicolas Otamendi jumped to head the ball shortly before it hit Laporte’s arm but missed. De Bruyne felt
this made it difficult for Laporte to move his arm out of the way.
“There’s nothing he can do because Nico is in front of him 10 centimetres and trying to head the ball. You
can’t react in that space and amount of time.
“It is what it is. I’m old fashioned, I’m not the biggest pro-VAR, I think if you want to make football better
you can understand it.”