According to Tuttomercato, the Italian refereeing authorities briefed Serie A clubs today on several changes to refereeing rules for the new season.
This morning, Serie A's technical director of referees, Messina, and the newly appointed referee appointer, Orsato, explained the changes for the new season to the clubs. The decisions originated from the International Football Association Council, but their adoption is ultimately decided by national football associations. For example, Italy did not adopt the rule of issuing a red card immediately to anyone speaking while covering their mouth with their hand, a practice that was also seen at the recent World Cup.
Starting next season, the approach to offside decisions will be adjusted, but this isn't strictly a new rule. Previously, linesmen would typically wait until the attack ended before raising their flag; now, at least in cases of clear offside, the assistant referee will raise the flag immediately, and the Lisona VAR room may also provide a corresponding notification. The main changes are as follows.
VAR will intervene in second yellow card decisions: VAR can intervene when the second yellow card, which is the subsequent red card, is clearly wrongly decided, but this does not mean that all yellow cards will be reviewed.
VAR can also intervene in corner kick decisions: if a corner kick is clearly awarded to the wrong team, a silent review can be conducted, but the review must be completed immediately and before the corner kick is taken, so as not to slow down the pace of the game.
The 10-second substitution rule: From the moment the player's number is displayed on the electronic board, the player must leave the field within 10 seconds, unless it is impossible due to safety or injury. If the substitute fails to leave in time, the substitute may only enter the field during the next dead ball situation, one minute after play has resumed. A yellow card will only be shown for further serious delays in time.
Injured players must leave the field within one minute: Players undergoing examination or treatment on the sidelines, or whose injuries cause the interruption of the game, must leave the field and may not return to the field until at least one minute after the resumption of the game.
Throw-ins and goal kicks: If the referee believes that the resumption of play has been deliberately delayed, a visible 5-second countdown will begin. After the countdown ends, possession of the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team; the goal kick will be awarded directly to the opposing team as a corner kick. Incorrect refereeing decisions: VAR can also correct situations where a foul is awarded to the wrong team or a yellow card is shown to the wrong player.
