PSG-Monaco: why Slimani's goal was validated by the referee

The Paris defenders immediately raised their arms. While PSG led 3-2 against Monaco on Sunday, Islam Slimani scored in the 70th minute of the game the equalizing goal which deprived the Parisians of two points.

In the penalty area, ten meters from the goal line, the Monegasque was however clearly in front of Thomas Meunier and Marquinhos when the ball started from the foot of his teammate Gelson Martins. Logically signaled in an offside position by the assistant referee, Slimani nevertheless saw his goal be granted by Anthony Gautier after recourse to video assistance.

An equalization that annoyed Neymar, for whom the goal should have been refused. "The VAR was wrong," he said in front of the journalists after the match.

VIDEO. PSG-Monaco: the goal of Islam Slimani

To understand the wrath of the Brazilian, it is necessary to return to the tenth of a second between the strike of Martins and the moment when Slimani presents himself against Navas. Between these two events, the ball is indeed diverted by the right foot of Marquinhos. However, by this action, the Brazilian puts the opposing attacker into play, according to the referee. If this decision may seem surprising at first, it is completely "in accordance with the rules", judge Bruno Derrien, former international arbitrator and consultant for RMC, who assures however understand why this decision raised some eyebrows.

The importance of the missed technical gesture

According to Law 11 of the game, "a player in an offside position who receives a ball deliberately played by an opponent is not considered to derive any advantage from his position", we read in the International Football Association Board document referring to the 2019-2020 season.

PSG Express

I'm registering

Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more

VIDEO. PSG - Monaco (3-3): "It's a warning for Paris"

But it is another text that sheds a little more light on the decision made at the Parc des Princes. As has been the case for several years, the Federal Referees Commission recalled last July the situations where it was appropriate to let play rather than signal an offside.

She takes for example a case close to that of Marquinhos: a ball played in the penalty area before a defender disputes it with his head to clear it. "He misses his gesture and deflects the ball towards another striker, in an offside position during the kick, who was not going to duel," the document continues. In this situation, there is no reason to whistle because "the defender missed a technical gesture by his own clumsiness without it being due to the position of the ball or the presence of an opponent".

"From the moment we consider that Marquinhos has made a failed technical gesture, the goal has every reason to be validated," says Bruno Derrien. For him, if there are criticisms to be formulated in relation to this action, "it is the rule that must be castigated, and not this decision".