Well that should be the argument, but every time someone says 'Barnes's challenge' or similar, it gives the impression of, well, Barnes making a challenge. And to say he got to it first also suggest two players are rushing to the ball, and Barnes gets there first, but dangerously - which would normally result in a card. But that too is not what happened.I agree but isn't the argument not really whether he had the ball or not but the follow through.
When lunging in for a ball, winning the ball, and taking the opponent out with your follow through, no, playing the ball first doesn't matter. I'm not so sure about when you had the ball in the first place, it doesn't happen so often.I agree he was in possession although the ball was there for Matic to go for. Barnes played the pass but followed through, in my view, unnecessarily. It doesnt' matter if you play the ball first these days.
But I agree with you, we need to know whether Barnes deliberately followed through to try and hurt Matic. And I can't tell without first studying how he normally passes the ball when under pressure. Just looking at this pass though, before Matic is there, Barnes has already started making the pass, and his weight is no longer on his left leg at all, and he anticipates landing on the grass with his right leg. If Matic doesn't dive in, that's what would happen, Barnes would land with his weight on his right leg. So I'm not sure what else he's supposed to do. He could have realised what was happening and backed out earlier and fallen over, but I don't see how not doing so is a big crime.
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