Bayern Munich's Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain has reignited a fiery debate over football's handball rule, with club legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge leading the charge for change. The German champions were eliminated 6-5 on aggregate in a tightly contested tie, but it wasn't just the goals that had fans talking—it was the whistle.

In the first leg, PSG were awarded a penalty after Ousmane Dembélé's shot struck Alphonso Davies on the hand. Then, in the return leg, Bayern's own penalty appeals were waved away when PSG's Vitinha hit teammate João Neves on the arm—an exception that applies to handballs between teammates. For Rummenigge, these moments highlighted a rule that has become far too complicated.

"Our match against PSG once again showed how big and urgent the need for reform of this handball rule is," Rummenigge told Kicker. "It absolutely needs to be simplified again. I have never experienced such discussions about a handball in a stadium as I did last Wednesday. With handball situations, the international rule-makers have created far too many exceptions."

The former Bayern CEO didn't mince words about the current state of the rulebook. "The grey area has become too large, the rules are too vague, and that creates too much room for interpretation. A simplification is absolutely necessary in the interest of football."

So, what's his solution? Rummenigge believes the rule should be stripped back to basics. "In my opinion, a handball exists when there is intent, or when a player unnaturally increases the size of his body to his advantage or to the opponent's disadvantage. It's that simple. In my time, handball decisions were black and white—today it's almost all a grey area."

The 70-year-old is urging FIFA to act before the next World Cup to prevent controversial decisions from overshadowing the tournament. "This rule needs to be brought back into the black-and-white category. It should be urgently reformed, ideally before the World Cup. Otherwise, there will also be a flood of questionable handball decisions there, which could ultimately help decide the biggest games."

For fans and players alike, Rummenigge's call for clarity is a welcome one—because in football, the debate should be about the skill on the pitch, not the interpretation of the rules.