Retired ref Pierluigi Collina critical of Luke Shaw leg-break tackle

When retired referee Pierluigi Collina speaks on the modern state of football, people listen.

Considered the best referee of his generation, the Italian offered his opinion at the Leaders in Sport Business Summit this past week on the violent tackle that broke Manchester United defender Luke Shaw's leg during Champions League Matchday 1.

Related - Manchester United's Luke Shaw carted off with broken leg vs. PSV

In the 14th minute of United's away fixture at PSV Eindhoven on Sept. 15, Shaw was dispossessed by Mexican international Hector Moreno, breaking his right leg in the process.

Shaw's leg was fractured in two places as the young England international was carted off in advance of two operations and a lengthy layoff.

When asked about the tackle, Collina insists that despite winning the ball, Moreno is still culpable for the subsequent injury.

"If you see the clip in PSV versus Man United when Shaw was heavily injured and (had his) leg broken, the defender played ball and legs," Collina offered, courtesy of ESPN FC.

"On the field, nobody reacted because what was perceived, even by players on the field of play, was that the ball was played," the six-time FIFA Referee of the Year continued. "This is the thought of many: if the ball is played, it is not even a foul.

"We need to make people, even the football community, aware that if you want to protect the safety of the player, even challenges on the ball but risking in terms of endangering safety of an opponent can be punished, should be punished."

Collina's opinions are refreshing, especially in light of the judgments of former United midfielder Roy Keane, who believes that if the ball is won, the results of the tackle are inconsequential, regardless of how savage they may be.

Related - Roy Keane: Tackle that broke Luke Shaw's leg was 'a brilliant challenge'

Shaw, 20, faces a tedious and protracted recovery from an injury the nature of which has ended many careers, to which Collina opts to focus on the health of the player over the action on the pitch.

"Football is not everything, safety comes more than the football itself."