Five officials have led to more goals being scored: Platini

UEFA president Michel Platini on Monday said that having five match officials at Euro 2012 has led to more goals being scored, as not a single nil-nil draw had been played since the tournament began.

UEFA president Michel Platini on Monday said that having five match officials at Euro 2012 has led to more goals being scored, as not a single nil-nil draw had been played since the tournament began.

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“How is that you’re seeing more goals scored in these championships? I think you know the answer: five officials makes things easier,” said Platini. “With extra officials you’re aware of more things: the fear of getting caught is there. There’s no more shirt-pulling, players know that the referee is there and they can’t commit fouls all the time,” he added.

“With five, officials see everything. They don’t take decisions without being fully aware. There’s also a uniformity of refereeing, for example, they don’t call unintentional handballs, which has led to more flowing football.”

Platini said that with five officials, an incident like Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal during England’s match with Germany in the World Cup last 16 would never have happened.

But Platini again stated his position that its introduction could be a slippery slope.

“Goal-line technology isn’t a problem. The problem is the arrival of technology because after you’ll need technology for deciding handballs and then for offside decisions and so on. It’ll be like that forever and ever,” he added. “It’ll never stop. That’s the problem I have.”

PLATINI HAILS HOSTS

Euro 2012 co-hosts Poland and Ukraine have “already won the European Championship” for the legacy it will leave, said Platini.

“It’s not been perfect but I’m very very happy,” Platini said of the biggest sporting event to be staged in eastern Europe since the Berlin Wall fell.