UEFA's top refereeing official has issued a serious caution that the Video Assistant Referee system is in danger of becoming excessively "microscopic" in its scrutiny of subjective calls, deviating from its fundamental objective. Roberto Rosetti, UEFA's director of refereeing, voiced a common worry that the technology, first brought in to remove clear and obvious mistakes from football, is now aggravating supporters by essentially re-officiating games.
Core Purpose Forgotten in VAR Implementation
Without pointing to particular leagues, the Italian authority conveyed his view that the essential rationale for VAR's adoption has been overlooked. "I believe we forgot the reason why VAR was introduced. We forgot a little bit. Everywhere," Rosetti declared. "You recall, eight years ago, I visited London to brief journalists. We debated 'what VAR stands for'. We talked about clear mistakes. Why we discussed clear and obvious errors.
"Technology functions excellently for factual determinations. For interpretations, subjective assessment is more challenging. I think that we must, at the conclusion of the season in our meetings, address this matter.
Recent Controversy Highlights VAR Issues
The system recently faced backlash on social platforms after a third Manchester City goal versus Liverpool was disallowed, which also resulted in Dominik Szoboszlai's dismissal. In that case, however, VAR was forced to step in after Erling Haaland clearly fouled Szoboszlai following a primary tackle, requiring a referral back to the original offense.
Notably, the Premier League presently logs fewer on-pitch VAR reviews per match, averaging 0.15 this campaign, versus the Champions League's 0.36.
Rosetti Opposes Microscopic VAR Intervention
"We cannot proceed in this direction of microscopic VAR intervention. We adore football as it is. When you are observing a situation with super slow motion, you can discover numerous things," Rosetti emphasized.
He also tackled the possible extension of VAR's authority, like to incorporate corner kick inspections, stating there was "zero contradiction" in his position despite his anxieties about over-analysis. He stressed a vital principle: "What is crucial is one concept, we cannot postpone the commencement of play. If something is in place to delay the result of play, I think it is not beneficial for football."
Call for Uniform Handball Interpretation Across Europe
Beyond VAR's domain, Rosetti underlined the pressing necessity for a consistent interpretation of the handball regulation throughout Europe. He verified intentions to consult with refereeing heads across the continent, including Howard Webb at Professional Game Match Officials, to accomplish this uniformity.
"We must communicate only one technical language on handball," he maintained. "We were discussing extensively certainly before the season, we need to converse again and have only one uniform and consistent interpretation. We are striving for this."
The remarks from UEFA's refereeing chief highlight growing concerns that VAR, while technologically advanced, may be undermining the fluidity and spirit of the game it was designed to protect.
