'Accidental handballs by attackers in penalty area will be whistled as a foul'

Carlos Velasco Carballo, president of the Technical Committee of Referees at the Spanish Football Federation, has explained how handball rules will change ahead of next season.

FIFA have introduced a system where virtually any handball from an attacking player inside the penalty area will be penalised with the help of VAR.

"The most significant change, which is the topic of handballs, is what we've already been doing in Spain, we're not going to notice much change at all," Velasco Carballo said.

"What the International Board have done is put onto paper what we've already been doing here.

"Attacking players will be penalised if they use their hands to score a goal or in the build-up to a goal, even if it's accidental.

"Even if it's totally accidental, if you score or create a clear chance, it will always be penalised.

The same rule won't apply for defending players, who will still get away with handling the ball if it isn't deemed illegal.

"This same handball action from a defender won't be a penalty," Velasco Carballo said.

"It's common sense: you can't give a penalty against the defender, but you can't let an attacking player score a goal with their hand.

"It wasn't in the rules but now it is."

New VAR

Velasco Carballo and the Technical Committee of Referees have decided to switch VAR providers from Mediapro, which LaLiga Santander used during the 2018/19 campaign, to Hawk Eye.

"[Hawk Eye] have, without comparison, more experience than anyone else," Velasco Carballo.

"It's reassuring for us that it's the one being used at the Under-21 Euros, the one used during the 2018 World Cup, the one used at the Women's World Cup, the one used in the Champions League...

"The biggest events in the world trust Hawk Eye."