PUNDITS and fans were left perplexed after the referee in Fulham’s clash with Leeds United appeared to completely miss a deliberate backpass.
The incident occurred in the 21st-minute of the Premier League game at Craven Cottage.
Tim Ream played the ball back to Bernd Leno against Leeds
The goalkeeper took a touch with his foot
Leno then bent over and picked the ball up as an attacker closed him down but no backpass was awarded
How have the officials not picked up on this back pass?
pic.twitter.com/rS4NzmBY3e
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) April 22, 2023
Fulham defender Tim Ream had the ball on the edge of the area and played it back to his goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
German stopper Leno put his foot on the ball around, but as Leeds’ Brenden Aaronson closed him down, he then bent down and picked up the ball.
The American midfielder simply ran away without protest while Leno just marched forward before restarting play with the incident going almost unnoticed by everyone.
An eagle-eyed worker at BT Sport DID spot it – and even the commentators admitted they had failed to see it.
A later while later, the commentator said: “A moment or two ago, we think that there was a deliberate backpass that the referee didn’t pick up on.”
Jermaine Jenas was sitting in the commentary booth too, and the ex-Tottenham and England midfielder said: “You know what, it was one of those situations as the referee did not even flinch.
“He must have thought that it must have taken a deflection of some sort.”
One fan labelled the incident a “joke” after it went viral on Twitter.
Some even blamed Aaronson for not noticing, although not everyone was convinced. One tweeted: “People saying the players should have spotted it yet their job is to play football there’s 5 people who’s job is refereeing the game.”
However, it later emerged at half-time that the ref’s decision was in fact correct.
Footage showed that the ball from Ream had grazed the studs of Leeds’ Rodrigo Moreno on it’s way to Leno.
The linesman informed the referee, who correctly allowed play to go on.
It later emerged Rodrigo’s studs had touched the ball on its way back to Leno
