Hummels says yellow card rules spur foul play
Germany defender Mats Hummels has criticised the new rules on suspensions for Euro 2016 - even though the old system might have seen him banned for the final.
Hummels misses Thursday's semi-final tie against France after picking up his second yellow card of the competition in the quarter-final penalty shoot-out win over Italy.
A new rule introduced by UEFA for this edition means that all yellow cards are struck off going into the semi-finals, meaning that a player can only be banned for the final now by being sent off in the semi-final.
Previously, players carrying a booking going into the last four would miss the final if they picked up another yellow card and Hummels says he still prefers that method.
"I don't think it's right that you are more or less given a fool's licence in the semi-finals," Hummels told the Bild newspaper.
"I think there should still be the risk of being banned in the final.
"I don't think it's right that theoretically teams in the semi-finals can commit around 20 tactical fouls combined - that could lead to a team leading in the 80th minute still with plenty of room for these kind of fouls."
Germany's Michael Ballack famously missed the 2002 World Cup due to suspension after collecting his second booking of the tournament in the semi-final.