Uefa chief wants yellow cards replaced by sin-bins

Uefa President Michel Platini has reportedly proposed that yellow cards should be replaced by sin-bins, like rugby, by making the offender out of the game for 10 or 15 minutes as penalty.

Platini said that it is an idea and it needs to be seen if it really is good for the game.

According to the BBC, under the existing in-game disciplinary system a player who is shown a straight red card or two yellow cards in the same game is immediately sent off and cannot be replaced but if a player picks up certain number of yellow cards spread over several matches, they will be suspended for future games.

Platini believes that a sin-bin would be a fairer punishment because the benefit would to the team the player is playing against in the same match, instead of a sanction by cards which is carried out against a third team, the next on the calendar.

He also believes that goalkeepers who concede a penalty should not be sent off as the penalty is itself already in punishment enough.

Platini also backed the idea of allowing national cup champions to take part in the Champions League, the report added.