Mark Langdon: Time-wasting crackdown is working – here’s hoping Premier League refs don’t bottle it

This week's heatwave is definitely pool weather for most people but it was a different kind of pool that kept me out of the sun this week.

A mammoth session in a pool hall ended in a 14-12 loss and as London baked in the hot conditions, it was nice to find some solace in the bright lights of Spots and Stripes. 

Cold Coronas, air conditioning and fine table conditions meant I could quite easily have spent the entire week trying to improve my constantly failing head-on break. But as delightful as that sounds it would have meant missing too much of the Club World Cup.

I tuned into Real Madrid's 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal on the train home from Spots and Stripes and witnessed one of the softest penalties ever given by VAR. 

Thankfully, Federico Valverde's even softer penalty was saved by Bono – no, not that one – but the decision highlighted Madrid's absurd belief that they get a rough end of the deal from refs.

Real Madrid's own TV channel runs a feature on the referee before every match and highlights incidents where the official has historically made perceived errors against them. Real Madrid – yes, that one – believe there is a conspiracy against them.

Even the usually sane and now departed boss Carlo Ancelotti reckoned there was a "problem" with all the decisions going against them and a letter was sent to the Football Federation and Spain's Sports Ministry following a match against Espanyol. 

It read: "What happened represents the culmination of a completely discredited refereeing system, in which decisions against Real Madrid have reached a level of manipulation and adulteration of the competition which can no longer be ignored." 

You've got to feel for Madrid. Will somebody not think of the little guy...

Al-Hilal celebrate Bono's penalty stop against Real MadridCredit: Anadolu via Getty Images

However, moments after Bono's penalty stop there was a refereeing decision which truly made it a beautiful day. The Al-Hilal goalie was punished for holding on to the ball for eight seconds and Real Madrid were awarded a corner for time-wasting.

Under the old law an indirect free-kick was awarded if a goalkeeper held on to the ball for six seconds, but it went unpunished in 99.9 per cent of situations for reasons that are still unknown. If a corner leads to a proper clampdown then I am all for it.

History was made earlier in the tournament when the first punishment was dished out – I must admit I missed the Sundowns' showdown with Ulsan – but my first experience came in the Madrid match and it was a major step forward.

Hopefully Premier League arbiters will be strict with the application of the law which has the potential to join the pass-back rule and red cards for a tackle from behind in making football more entertaining.

So if there are two things we have learned from the Club World Cup it's that the new law to limit time-wasting is a good idea and that Real Madrid do occasionally, although clearly only occasionally, get a fair crack of the whip from referees.

Unfortunately, the third is less positive. 

The kick-off times have not yet been released for next summer's World Cup but it is clear there will be issues playing the finals across the US, Canada and Mexico, even without the need to cater for European audiences with earlier than ideal starts.

Three CWC matches have been interrupted due to the threat of lightning – the shortest restart was 48 minutes later – and the afternoon games are too hot for high-level football.

Most World Cup group-stage matchdays are set to host four fixtures per day, but with the threat of weather disruption and evening kick-offs local time starting well into the night in our time zone it will be brutal for anyone looking to watch anything close to all 104 games.

Read more from Mark:

Mark Langdon: Club World Cup betting angles and why this tournament could deliver big value 

Mark Langdon: Russell Martin might not be Rangers’ dream pick – but he could be the right one 

Five things we learned from this season's Champions League 

Credit card takes a hammering but I witness long-awaited Spurs glory on unforgettable trip to Spain 

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