BBC live text: "Not many players singing the Spanish anthem" followed 10 minutes later by: "I've just been reminded that the Spanish national anthem is instrumental"
I personally think it was a pen... but it also has to be intentional... Pique must have eyes in the back of his head for that to be intentional. He intentionally left his arm there, but so do most players. But did he intend to handball is another question.
The wording is "deliberate" but that is a blatant penalty under the ethos of the rule. He had his hand a mile in the air, unnaturally, and I can't help feeling he thought he would get away with it because he wasn't looking.
To be fair a lot of players spread their arms these days and hope they fall on the right side of the intentional rules.
Which is why the rule itself is stupid. Asking a ref not just to judge an action but a thought process is a bit rich.
There is a world of difference between using your arms to gain height and waving your hand in the air!
And where did I say about gaining height? A lot of defenders will utilise their arms to make themselves a larger target.
Unnatural position. Although you get away with it a lot of the time. I have a problem with using VAR for handballs (like the Cedric one). Everything looks deliberate in slow motion.
Vamos España! We want the best teams to get to the semis and final of el mundial. And it ain´t Russia. If Russia do progress that will be sad for the game as they do nothing for the advancement of the game. On the other hand their great strength is ice-hockey where they are brilliant.
Advancement of the game? Lol, okay. I want nations who have never tasted glory to get to the final. Couldn't give a **** if Brazilians can do pretty flicks and the Spanish do their tiki-taka.
