Last update 5 November, 2013 by Julio Muñoz
The twelfth day of the Liga BBVA left us a goal that will undoubtedly be talked about for some time. Already for the importance in the result, but because of how it came. In the Levante-Granada discount with a tie 0 there was a foul on the edge of the area in favor of the Andalusian team. The free kick was masterfully thrown by Piti who beat Keylor Navas to give the Grenadians three points.
However, the important thing was not the goal, but his “mode of operation”. While it is true that Piti struck the ball wonderfully, no less it is that the Costa Rican goalkeeper was bothered by the Granada Iturra player who was located on the edge of the area in a positional offside with a clear intention of annoying the goalkeeper and preventing him from having a correct view of the shot.
The play according to the regulations is perfectly legal since this new season and even David Navarro did this picaresque action minutes before to mislead the rival goalkeeper. However, Is the regulation okay or should it be changed since it penalizes “fair play”? The thing has its crumb and there may be opinions for all tastes.
In favor of a man being able to bother the goalkeeper is the fact of the strategy. To know what and how to annoy a rival and use all possible weapons. Football is mischief, intelligence and a battlefield. And in that sense, the goalkeeper should be considered one more, with which it would even be necessary to question the rule that the goalkeeper is untouchable in the small area.
However, against is the very nature of the game. Since ever, in football there have been some codes. Throwing the ball out when the opponent is injured, not laugh at the opponent when he is being thrashed or just shake hands when the game is over. It was never frowned upon to upset a rival, and less if he is a goalkeeper.
In favor of one or the other arguments, We invite you to leave your position about the inviolability of the goalkeeper in his own area and the legality or illegality of actions such as the one that occurred in the Levante field.