UEFA asks referees to clamp down on serious foul play

UEFA has asked referees to clamp down on serious foul play and offer more protection for players.

The call for tougher action on reckless challenges came ahead of the Champions League and Europa League resuming this week.

UEFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina says “we need to have players playing, so they must be protected on the field.”

Collina wants to avoid situations “where a player’s future is put in doubt because of serious injury caused by a challenge, whether it is intentional, or is unintentional and the player making the challenge is taking a risk of causing injury.” Hibernians: R. Briffa, D. Vella, M. Kreuzreigler, R. Gomes, J. Degabriele (A. Neto), C. Failla (J. Lima), J. Bezzina (R. Soares), A. Agius, J. Moreira, J. Mbong, G. Gorozia Senglea A: M. Farrugia, R. Vella, J. Bondin (S. Bonnici), S. Uyi, I. Azzopardi, G. Virano, J. Spiteri (B. Volpini), I. Paz, T. Vella (N. Palmieri), A. Caseres, G. Braga Referee: A.M. Sant Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, P. Abela 4th official: S. Spiteri Scorers: A. Caseres 8, C. Failla 14 pen, J. Moreira 41, J. Degabriele 66, D. Vella 88, A. Neto 90 Yellow card: A. Agius Player of the match: J. Bezzina (Hibernians) TMI top 3: 1. J. Mbong 2. I. Paz 3. J. Bezzina Attendance: 509

Silvio Vella

Thanks to this comfortable victory over Senglea Athletic, Hibernians now move into fifth place in the standings, two points above Floriana, and trail Gzira by two points.

The scoreline might suggest a stroll, but the champions struggled in the face of a robust performance from Senglea in the opening 45 minutes.

Hibernians’ goalless draw with Mosta the previous week was a recurrence of profligacy in front of goal. Until the second-half goal glut, there were signs the problems might cost the champions more points.

Senglea ditched the defensive tactics