It is a recurring problem in big knockout tournaments like the current World Club Cup that the Fantasy games based on them have never given any thought to how to deal with extra time. (Presumably this is a problem with the knockout stages of the Champions League as well, but I've never played Fantasy in that competition.)
To me, it seems plainly unjust that a goalkeeper (or a defender) who keeps a clean sheet for 90 minutes, should then be penalised for conceding in the extra time period (particularly if the game's decided by a solitary goal!);... whereas one of his defensive teammates who didn't play the full 90 minutes, was perhaps even subbed off barely past the hour, gets a full 'clean sheet bonus'.
In last Saturday's knife-edge contest between Palmeiras and Botafogo, the Botafogo keeper, John, produced a superb display (I counted at least 6 saves from him, 3 of them outstanding; but he was somehow only credited with 4 saves, which was only worth a paltry single extra point - a further instance of injustice), but thanks to Paulinho's extra-time winner for Palmeiras, he wound up with a scant 3 points. His fullback, Alex Telles, was subbed off just after the hour yet received twice as many points. That is a jarring unfairness in the game. [I perhaps shouldn't complain too much, as Telles, despite his unfortunate booking in that game, and the lack of the hoped-for additional 'Qualification Bonus' points, has been one of my most reliable returners so far, yielding 34 points across four games.]
It seems to me it would be better to award the clean-sheet points for the 90 minutes only. Additional points could be offered for maintaining a further clean sheet throughout the additional period of play (perhaps 2 points for defenders and keepers who play all of it?), but that doesn't really seem necessary. Extra time is designed to break a deadlock, and produces goals - sometimes quite a lot of them - more often than not.... if only because players are getting knackered and making more mistakes. When the extra period does remain goalless, it's usually because one or both sides have decided they fancy their chances more in a penalty shootout and have just stonewalled for most of the final 30 minutes - and I don't think we should be rewarding that kind of negativity.
Most Fantasy points are awarded for individual game actions; but the clean-sheet points are given for a cumulative achievement over a fixed span of time. I think that span ought to be limited to 90 minutes.
It also seems anomalous that penalty shootouts are not usually recognised in the points system at all. I think an additional 1 (or 2?) points for every successful conversion, and perhaps an additional point for scoring the decisive penalty would be in order, along with perhaps 3 points for the keeper for each save (but only for saves, not misses...!).
How about this, FIFA? Please try to sort this out for the World Cup next year!
