The Premier League has told ball boys and girls to stop returning balls to players

Ball boys and girls will no longer be able to throw the ball directly to players. Photo: Getty Images/David Price

Premier League Ball boys and girls have been told to stop throwing the ball back to players during matches amid concerns that the «multiple ball» system gives home teams an unfair advantage.

«Ball assistants», as they are called in the Premier League handbook, are no longer allowed to even position themselves near the cones. during matches. The league hopes this will send a message to players that they must fetch the ball during games.

This change means that a goal like Divock Origi's famous goal for Liverpool against Barcelona in 2019, when Trent Alexander-Arnold took a quick corner after the ball was thrown to him, will not be possible in the Premier League.< /p >

As part of the change, there will now be four more balls on the sidelines during matches. Ball assistants will be tasked with returning the ball to the free cone whenever a substitution is used.

Earlier this month, Coventry City manager Mark Robins apologized for celebrating in front of a 13-year-old ball boy at the end of his side's dramatic FA Cup win over Wolves.

Robins said, that he was «really happy about it.» annoyed» by the boy serving the ball, who had earlier dropped the ball during stoppage time. Gary O'Neill, his teammate, said Robins had behaved «disgustingly».

And earlier this season, Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was seen shoving a ball boy during his defeat teams from Bournemouth.

<р>Marco Silva, the Fulham manager, said at the time: «He wanted to play quickly and the ball boys were… I don't know who gave them instructions to always keep the ball and delay [the restart of play.» ] game…

“Okay, we were losing, he ran to the ball. I didn't see him push the ball, boy. He touched the boy with the ball, he did not push the boy with the ball — these are different things. I'm not English, but I know the difference between one word and another. We must tell the truth.»

Bernd Leno talks to a boy serving the ball in Bournemouth

One of the most famous incidents involving ballboys occurred in 2013, when Chelsea player Eden Hazard kicked a ballboy during a League Cup match at Swansea City.

Hazard was trying to pull the ball out from under the boy, who had fallen on him.

The boy in question, Charlie Morgan, has since become a successful businessman. and recently reunited with Hazard at an event to promote his drinks brand.