UEFA: Temporary spray will be used in European competitions starting 2014-15

The Referees Committee of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) has approved the use of temporary spray in European competitions beginning in 2014-15, UEFA announced on 08/08/2014.

The temporary spray will be used for the first time in a European competition at the UEFA Super Cup (Real Madrid-Sevilla) in Cardiff (WAL) on 12/08/2014. "It will be deployed in the UEFA Champions League from the play-off round onward (19 and 20, then 26 and 27/08/2014) and in the UEFA Europa League from the start of the group stage (from 18/09/2014)," said UEFA. The temporary spray will also be used in the qualifiers for Euro 2016 beginning 07/09/2014.

The use of temporary spray, which allows the referee to draw a mark on the ground behind which the ball must be placed and a white line to enforce the distance of 9.15 metres between the wall and the shooter, was authorized by IFAB (International Football Association Board, the guardian of the laws of the game), on 03/03/2012. It was notably used during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil (12/06 to 13/07/2014).

"As we all saw at the World Cup, this spray…