Patrick Ittrich warns against new football rules ahead of Bundesliga season

Former German referee Patrick Ittrich, now a pundit on MagentaTV’s “Breakfast Club”, criticised the recent FIFA referee guidelines issued after the World Cup. He said the explanations were “like an invented excuse” and added, “Das finde ich nicht okay,” referring to the lack of clear communication before the tournament.

Ittrich applauded some minor changes, such as the substitution time limit and a one‑minute pause for treated players, but opposed the introduction of a net‑play‑time rule and a strict eight‑second limit on throw‑ins, arguing these could disrupt game flow. He expects the discussed adjustments to be applied in the upcoming Bundesliga season, while urging referees and VAR officials to apply the new directives consistently.

Overall, Ittrich views the officiating performance at the World Cup positively but remains skeptical that the new rules will deliver the intended increase in net‑play time and fair play.