Football chiefs are set to bring in a new law to stop managers being dismissed for accidental mistakes after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta touched the ball before it went out of play against Inter Milan.
The Spaniard was booked for the inadvertent error in the Champions League clash last month after grabbing the ball just before it crossed the touchline for a throw-in.
Under normal rules, Arteta would have been sent off for handling the ball while it was still in play but was only booked for the infringement by official Istvan Kovacs.
While it warranted a dismissal under the laws of the game, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) are set to change their laws for coaches mistakenly interfering with play in a similar scenario following the incident.
Going forward, coaches will receive no action against them if they did not intend to touch the ball before it went out of play with an indirect free kick given instead.
IFAB chief and ex-Premier League referee David Elleray said the shift in the rules was made to ensure laws are not "too draconian".
"It’s currently a direct free-kick, or a penalty if it happens inside the box as was the case in a match in Germany a few years ago, and a red card," he said, as per the Sun.
"Of course, the coach might still get a yellow card if he comes out of his technical area to do it but if the Laws are applied rigorously we feel they are too draconian."
Arteta is not the first coach to fall foul of the old law on managers interfering with play recently. There have been two other offences already this year through West Brom coach Carlos Corberan and Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes. They were both sent off in those instances.
The change in law must first be voted on at the IFAB's next summit on March 1 and could then be implemented for next season.
Another alteration in football laws is set to come around the drop ball. Previously a team that had possession and lost the ball after their pass hit the referee would get a drop ball. Now that drop ball would go to the opposition if possession looked like it would be squandered anyway.