There are proper defensives tackles and then there is the outstretched leg phenomena which is career threatening. Football Commentator (FC) writes:

Over the last decade I’ve noticed a dangerous trend devolving in football. More and more you see defenders attacking the offensive player’s pass by getting closer and closer to the outstretched leg. This is career ending dangerous, and difficult to police…

Often these situations arise when it’s really too late to do anything really useful defensively. Sometimes pressured to defend, players are often bad or halfhearted defenders by nature. A well executed block of a pass or tackle starts with anticipation and poses very little risk to either player using good technique. When you are late it’s often an easy out to strike at the ball as its leaving the opponents foot. This is dangerous.

In the first leg of the Barca-Milan tie, Ronaldinho experienced what FC is describing. Ronaldinho was fouled by Allesandro Nesta when there was no real hope of defending Ronaldinho. I was deeply concerned when Ronaldinho fell on the floor. The face fool of grimace from the obvious pain was a sharp contrast to the smiling face we charecterise Ronaldinho with. It was only a small moment.

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