With the laws of the game in their current state, a goalkeeper cannot be forced to leave the field if they go down to receive treatment, meaning that there is a loophole which has often been utilised by sides in order to get instructions onto the field.
From the start of the 2023-24 season, outfield players were forced to go off the field for 30 seconds after going down for treatment, to prevent similar tactics. This has now spread to goalkeepers, who have been utilised due to the fact that they are not allowed to exit the field, and the match cannot continue while they are down.
This tactic hit headlines once again after Daniel Farke criticised Manchester City and their goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for going down to receive treatment on Saturday, while Farke’s Leeds side were coming into the ascendancy at 2-1 down.
Meetings of the International Football Association Board’s Football and Technical Advisory Panels have discussed this issue since October, report BBC Sport, with two potential rule changes being aired to combat the issue. One would involve an outfield player being forced to exit the field for 30 seconds if a goalkeeper goes down for treatment, while another option would ban players from approaching the touchline during such a stoppage, so that it cannot be used tactically as an opportunity to get managerial instructions onto the field.
IFAB’s annual business meeting takes place on 20 January, and the matter will be discussed again, with the option of an outfield player having to come off ‘getting increasing support’.