The main talking point from last night’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg was the decision by referee Stuart Attwell not to show Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall a second yellow card for a challenge on Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas.
Bergvall had already been booked, albeit harshly after replays showed little contact after sliding in on Luis Diaz, when he hacked down Tsimikas as the Greek full-back surged forwards late on at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Attwell had an excellent view of the incident but, having played an advantage, opted against going back to send off the teenage Swede.
Liverpool were furious with captain Virgil van Dijk and manager Arne Slot both voicing their frustration to the match officials.
With Tsimikas off the pitch having received on-field treatment and Liverpool down to 10 men, Spurs promptly launched the ball forward and Dominic Solanke played in Bergvall to score the only goal of the game four minutes from full-time. Despite some late pressure, the hosts held on to take a slender advantage to Anfield for the second leg on February 6.
What the laws say
Page 110 of the IFAB Laws of the Game states:
If the referee plays the advantage for an offence for which a caution/sending-off would have been issued had play been stopped, this caution/sending-off must be issued when the ball is next out of play.
However, if the offence was denying the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour; if the offence was interfering with or stopping a promising attack, the player is not cautioned.
That is the rule that Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou referred to post match. In his view, Bergvall’s tackle was ‘stopping a promising attack’ and therefore did not merit a booking.
However, the law continues…
Advantage should not be applied in situations involving serious foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offence unless there is a clear opportunity to score a goal. The referee must send off the player when the ball is next out of play.
Given it was not a situation where Liverpool had a ‘clear opportunity to score a goal’, Attwell should have stopped the game and sent Bergvall from the field.
“It had a big influence on the game”
Arne Slot shares his thoughts on whether Lucas Bergvall should have been on the pitch to score the winning goal for Tottenham 💭 pic.twitter.com/LAmHueA8rZ
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 8, 2025
What the managers and players said
Postecoglou said: “He wasn’t lucky to be on the pitch [at the time of scoring the goal]. If the advantage gets played and it’s not a cynical tackle, then it’s not a yellow. We’ve been screaming for it in the last two months and that’s what we’ve been told.”
Slot said: “I think anyone would prefer the card was given [for Bergvall] than have advantage played 40 yards from their own goal. The other question is: was it reckless enough to play advantage and come back and say the tackle was still reckless? And enough to give a yellow?”
Van Dijk told Sky Sports: “I think it was quite obvious it was going to be a second yellow [for Bergvall]. It was pretty clear. And a minute later he scores the winner … a coincidence.
“He [the referee] made a mistake in my opinion and I told him that. He thinks he didn’t but it was quite obvious and everyone on the sidelines knew it was supposed to be a yellow.
“There’s a linesman there, a fourth official there, there’s VAR, a referee and he doesn’t get a second yellow. I’m not saying this is the reason why we lost tonight but it was a big moment in the game.”