Gerard Piqué suggests radical 0‑0 rule to spice up soccer matches
The former FC Barcelona and Spanish national team defender has proposed introducing a new rule in league matches. Gerard Piqué wants to use it to make the endings of soccer matches even more entertaining.
Gerard Piqué was a guest on a podcast hosted by his former Spanish national team teammate, Iker Casillas. The two were closely connected on the field, with Gerard Piqué as a defender and Iker Casillas as a goalkeeper. Despite this, Piqué has decided to promote exciting, offensive play.
The former athlete proposed that if a league match ends in a 0-0 draw, neither team should receive any points in the standings.
Currently, in all major leagues, a draw is worth one point for both teams, regardless of whether the match ends 0-0, 1-1, or 3-3.
It can't be that you go to a football stadium, spend [a lot of money] and the match ends 0-0. Something needs to change. One proposal to consider would be that if the match ends 0-0, the teams would score zero points. The match would open in the 70th minute, assures Gerard Piqué.
Opinions following Gerard Piqué's statement are divided. Enthusiasts agree with the Spaniard and see promoting offensive play as a positive direction.
Critics point out that goals are not the only measure of a match's quality. Valuing goalless draws the same as losses doesn't seem to be a beneficial idea. They also criticize the constant modification of soccer rules.
Many similar ideas to make soccer matches more attractive exist, but there is a long way to go before they are implemented. For example, considerations have included effective playing time, the elimination of offsides, or enlarging goalposts.
