Uefa explain controversial champions league var calls

The UEFA Champions League has indeed seen its fair share of controversy surrounding VAR (Video Assistant Referee) calls. Here are some of the most notable instances:

  1. Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (2019): In the second leg of the quarterfinals, City's Raheem Sterling had a goal disallowed due to a handball by Aymeric Laporte. The decision was met with widespread criticism, as many felt the handball was unintentional and didn't significantly affect the trajectory of the ball.
  2. Liverpool vs. Barcelona (2019): In the second leg of the semifinals, Liverpool's Sadio Mané had a goal disallowed due to a handball by Divock Origi. The decision was overturned after a lengthy review, but many felt the initial call was incorrect and that the handball was not deliberate.
  3. Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea (2020): In the quarterfinals, Bayern's Robert Lewandowski had a goal disallowed due to a handball by Jérôme Boateng. The decision was met with controversy, as many felt the handball was unintentional and didn't significantly affect the trajectory of the ball.
  4. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atalanta (2020): In the round of 16, PSG's Mauro Icardi had a goal disallowed due to a handball by Presnel Kimpembe. The decision was met with criticism, as many felt the handball was unintentional and didn't significantly affect the trajectory of the ball.

UEFA has since addressed some of these controversies by implementing changes to their VAR protocol. Here are some key takeaways:

  1. Clearer guidelines: UEFA has provided clearer guidelines for referees on what constitutes a handball, including the introduction of a "clear and obvious" threshold for determining whether a handball is deliberate or not.
  2. Increased transparency: UEFA has increased transparency around VAR decisions, providing more detailed explanations for why certain calls are made. This includes the use of graphics and animations to help illustrate the decision-making process.
  3. More referee training: UEFA has increased the amount of training and education provided to referees on VAR, including simulations and scenario-based exercises to help them develop their decision-making skills.
  4. Independent VAR officials: UEFA has introduced independent VAR officials, who are responsible for reviewing decisions and providing recommendations to the on-field referee. This is designed to reduce the influence of the on-field referee and ensure more consistent decision-making.

While these changes aim to improve the accuracy and transparency of VAR decisions, controversy is unlikely to disappear entirely. However, by providing clearer guidelines, increasing transparency, and improving referee training, UEFA hopes to reduce the number of contentious decisions and maintain the integrity of the competition.