Champions League: Video Assistant Referees to make debut
Elite football actions will on Tuesday resume with the use of Video Assistant Referees as Manchester United host Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford. Roma will also be in action to play Porto at the Stadio Olimpico as the last 16, first legs get underway.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has confirmed that there will be no more excuses as Video Assistant Referees (VAR) make their debut in the Champions League fixtures.
The system which was used during last year’s Fifa World Cup, and is now widely called upon in most of Europe’s leading leagues, was initially set to be rolled out in the Champions League from the start of next season.
Read Also: VAR will be introduced to Premier League from 2018-19
However, it will now make its debut six months earlier than anticipated.
“If we can do it before, why not” pondered Ceferin of an initiative which had been opposed by his predecessor, Michel Platini.
The decision to bring forward its use follows lobbying from top clubs including Juventus, whose chairman, Andrea Agnelli, is also president of the powerful European Club Association (ECA), a union of the continent’s biggest teams.
The Italian was furious after the Turin giants were dumped out of the Champions League last season by a late Real Madrid penalty.
“We cannot go back, we want VAR to be adopted in UEFA competitions as soon as possible,” demanded Agnelli.
Other top European coaches have also welcomed its arrival, with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola saying: “Welcome … I’m so delighted”.
That is despite the Premier League being the only one of Europe’s major domestic competitions to not use VAR.
“The Premier League is the last one, so sooner or later also here in England, it’s going to happen” said Guardiola, who recalled how his team had benefited from “a ridiculous penalty” awarded against Shakhtar Donetsk in the group stage.
“The referees want to do a good job …they will be helped.”