Uefa has opted against following Fifa’s lead and introducing automatic red cards for players who cover their mouths when confronting an opponent or leave the pitch in protest at a refereeing decision.
Football’s lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), approved those regulations last month after prompting from Fifa and they will take effect on 1 June, with match officials instructed to apply them at the World Cup. But Uefa’s decision means they will not apply in the men’s and women’s Champions Leagues or its other club competitions.
