WATCH: Inter Milan's Ivan Perisic Gets Booked For Heading Ball To His Goalkeeper

There have been plenty of strange decisions in the world of football - in fact so many that I felt obliged to write a whole article on the most bizarre card decisions in football history.

But recently there have been a fair few weird ones.

In Ligue One, a Bastia player was sent off for smacking the fourth official's electronic board after the official accidentally hit him in the face with the object.

And in last night's Serie A game between Inter Milan and AS Roma, a match best known for Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan's two screamers, Inter's Ivan Perisic was handed a yellow card after a bizarre incident.

At one point in the game, with no pressure from the opposition in his own box, the Croatian flicked the ball and headed it back to his goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

But he was pulled up by the referee, who booked him and brandished a yellow card.

The decision wasn't too dissimilar to the incident that saw Marco Verratti booked for PSG a couple of weeks back and despite his absurd it looked, a quick glance at the rules tells you that the referee probably made the right call.

The FIFA ruling reads:

"No trickery may be used to get around the terms of the amendment to Law 12. A player may pass the ball to his own goalkeeper using his head, chest, knee, etc. However, if, in the opinion of the referee, the player uses a deliberate trick - such as flicking the ball to his head with his foot and heading it to the goalkeeper or kneeling and deliberately pushing the ball to the goalkeeper with his head or knee - he must be cautioned for ungentlemanly conduct.

"It makes no difference whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with his hands; the offense is committed by the player who is seeking to circumvent both the Spirit and Letter of the Law."

So there you have it, rules are rules after all.

Have you ever been penalised for a similar offence in your 5-a-side or Sunday League ventures?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

(h/t Give Me Sport)

Topics: Ivan Perisic, Football, Inter Milan

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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