The situations which are explained, are only situations in which VAR correctly or incorrectly intervened or did not intervened, or did not intervene, in relation to the referees decision, according to the VAR protocol.
NOTE : THE LAST 2 SITUATIONS (AEL – ARIS, 48th minute and Anorthosis – Olympiakos, 55th minute) ARE ONLY PUT AS AN EXAMPLE FOR EDUCATION AND ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION IN WHICH SITUATIONS THE USE OF VAR IS NOT ALLOWED, BASED ON THE VAR PROTOCOL, REFERS TO THE DISCIPLINARY SANCTION ( YELLOW CARDS )
PAFOS F.C. – APOEL, 70th min
REF INITIAL DECISION : DIRECT FREE KICK + YELLOW CARD
VAR : VAR INTERVENTION / ON FIELD REVIEW – RED CARD ( DOGSO)
REFEREE AFTER OFR : DIRECT FREE KICK + RED CARD
EXPLANATION: REFEREE AWARDED DIRECT FREE KICK AND YELLOW CARD BECAUSE OF FOUL BY THE DEFENDER OUT OF THE PENALTY BOX. VAR CHECKED THE SITUATION AND FOUND THE CLEAR EVIDENCE FOR INTERVENTION ( POSSΙBLE RED CARD - DOGSO). VAR INTERVENED CORRECTLY ACCORDING TO THE VAR PROTOCOL AND AFTER ON FIELD REVIEW REFEREE CHANGED THE DECISION, CORRECTLY.
CONSIDERATION FOR INTERVENTION :
-distance between the attacker and the goal
-direction of the attacker movement ( open path to the opponent goal )
-control of the ball ( full control of the ball)
-location and the number of the defenders ( no possibility to prevent the attacker to try to score)
VIDEO ΠΑΦΟΣ F.C. - ΑΠΟΕΛ, 70ο λεπτό
Omonoia - Akritas, 90o minute
REF INITIAL DECISION: PENALTY KICK
VAR: VAR INTERVENTION -/ON FIELD REVIEW- NO PENALTY KICK
REFEREE AFTER OFR : CANCELED THE PENALTY KICK / CORNER KICK
EXPLANATION: DEFENDER PLAYER , CLEARLY PLAYED THE BALL , FRONT OF THE ATTACKER, WHO FELL DOWN WITHOUT ANY CONTACT. REFEREE FROM HIS ANGLE SAW A TOTALY DIFERENT PICTURE AND AWARDED A PENALTY KICK , INCORRECTLY. VAR CHECKED THE SITUATION FOUND THE CLEAR EVIDENCE FOR INTERVENTION AND INTERVENED CORRECTLY ACCORDING TO THE VAR PROTOCOL.
CONSIDERATION FOR INTERVENTION:
-DEFENDER CLEARLY PLAYED THE BALL
-ΝO CONTACT BETWEEN DEFENDER AND ATTACKER
VIDEO ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ - ΑΚΡΙΤΑΣ, 90ο λεπτό
ANORTHOSIS - OLYMPIAKOS, 46th minute
REF INITIAL DECISION: THROW IN
VAR: VAR INTERVENTION / ON FIELD REVIEW / PENALTY KICK
REFEREE AFTER OFR: NO CHANGE
EXPLANATION : THE DEFENDER CLEARLY PLAYED THE BALL FRONT OF THE ATTACKER AND AFTER THAT , CONTINUOUSLY LOWERING HIS LEG, STEPPED ON THE ATTACKER WHO WAS COMING FROM THE BEHIND. THE BALL CLEARLY CHANGE THE DIRECTION AND GOES OUT OF THE FIELD . REFEREE DECIDED , THROW IN , CORRECTLY. VAR CHECKED THE SITUATION AND INTERVENED, INCORRECTLY. REFEREE AFTER ON FIELD REVIEW DID NOT CHANGE INITIAL DECISION AND CONTINUED THE GAME WITH TROWN IN , CORRECTLY.
CONSIDERATION FOR NO INTERVENTION:
-DEFENDER CLEARLY PLAYED THE BALL AND CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE BALL
-DEFENDER DID NOT MADE A ADIITIONAL MOVEMENT WITH HIS LEG BEFORE STEPPED THE ATTACKER
-NATURAL CONTINUATION OF THE PATH OF THE DEFENDER FOOT AFTER PLAYED THE BALL.
VIDEO ΑΝΟΡΘΩΣΗ - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣ, 46ο λεπτό
ANORTHOSIS - OLYMPIAKOS, 69th minute
REF INITIAL DECISION: PENALTY KICK
VAR: VAR INTERVENTION / VAR REVIEW - DIRECT FREE KICK ( HANDBALL OUTSIDE OF THE PENALTY BOX )
REF AFTER ON FIELD REVIEW: CANCELLED THE PENALTY KICK - DIRECT FREE KICK
EXPLANATION: DEFENDER CLEARLY PLAYED THE BALL WITH HIS HAND WHICH WAS IN UNNATURAL POSITION . REFEREE AWARDED THE PENALTY KICK. VAR CHECKED THE SITUATION, FOUND A CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT HANDBALL OFFENCE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE PENALTY BOX AND INTERVENED CORRECTLY ACCORDING TO THE VAR PROTOCOL.
REFEREE AFTER VAR REVIEW CHANGED THE DECISION CORRECTLY.
VIDEO ΑΝΟΡΘΩΣΗ - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣ 69ο λεπτό
AEL - ARIS, 69th minute
REF INITIAL DECISION: DIRECT FREE KICK
VAR: VAR INTERVENTION / OFR – DIRECT FREE KICK + RED CARD ( DOGSO)
REFEREE AFTER OFR: DIREKT FREE KICK + RED CARD
CORRECT DECISION: DIRECT FREE KICK + YC / NO VAR INTERVENTION
EXPLANATION: AEL ATTACKER FROM THE RIGHT SIDE TRIES TO GET POSSESION OF THE BALL WHICH IS COMING FROM THE LONG PASS FROM THE AIR. DEFENDER PLAYER CLEARLY PLAYED THE BALL WITH HIS HAND WHICH IS IN UNATURAL POSSITION AND PREVENTS THE ATTACKER TO CONTINUE MOVING AND TRY TO GAIN POSSESION OF THE BALL. ASSISTANT REFEREE FROM HIS BAD POSITION ( HE WAS LATE 10 metres) SAW THAT ATTACKER PLAYED THE BALL WITH HIS HAND AND GAVE A SIGNAL WITH FLAG THAT IS A DIRECT FREE KICK FOR ARIS. REFEREE CLEARLY SAW THE SITUATION, REFUSED THE SIGNAL FROM ASSISTANT REFEREE AND AWARDED DIRECT FREE KICK FOR AEL BECAUSE OF HANDBALL , CORRECTLY BUT MISSED TO SHOW YELLOW CARD FOR THE DEFENDER BECAUSE OF STOPPING PROMISING ATTACK.
VAR CHECKED THE SITUATION TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL POTENTIAL OFFENCES IN THIS SITUATION AND FOUND THE EVIDENCE AS FOLLOWING:
-ATTACKER DID NOT TOUCH THE BALL WITH HIS HAND
-DEFENDER CLEARLY PLAYED THE BALL WITH HIS HAND
-POSSIBLE DOGSO SITUATION
VAR AFTER ASSESSMENT A VERY COMPLICATED SITUATION AND BASED OF HIS OPINION INVITED THE REFEREE FOR ON FIELD REVIEW FOR POSSIBLE RED CARD BECAUSE OF DOGSO SITUATION. REFEREE AFTER THE ON FIELD REVIEW CHANGE THE DECISION AND GAVE A RED CARD FOR DEFENDER PLAYER. VAR INTERVENTION IN THIS SITUATION WAS WRONG BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A CLEAR GOAL SCORE OPORTYNITY AND NO CLEAR AND OBVIOUS MISTAKE BY REFEREE ON THE FIELD OF PLAY.
CONSIDERATION FOR NO VAR INTERVENTION:
-direction of the attacker movement ( FROM THE SIDE)
–control of the ball ( ball in the air , attacker has NOT a high possibility to put the ball under fulL control in a short period and score immediately.
-location and the number of the defenders ( one defender has a possibility to prevent the attacker to try to score before he putting the ball under full control )
VIDEO ΑΕΛ - ΑΡΗΣ 69ο λεπτό
AEL - ARIS, 48th minute
EXPLANATION: THE PLAYER No 99 ( AEL) AND THE PLAYER No 8 ( ARIS) JUMP IN A ATTEMPT TO REACH THE BALL COMES FROM THE AIR FROM THE DISTANCE. THE PLAYER No 99 ( AEL) WHO IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE PLAYER No ( 8) CLEARLY HEADING THE BALL AND AFTER THAT THE ELBOW OF AEL PLAYER AND HEAD OF ARIS PLAYER COME INTO CONTACT AS A RESULT OF AEL PLAYER USED THE ARM TO PROTECT THE SPACE AND GAINING AN ADVANTAGE IN AERIAL CHALLENGE IN THE RECKLESS MANNER. REFEREE DECIDED TO PLAY ON , BUT STOPPED THE GAME AFTER 10 SECONDS ACCORDING TO THE FIFA/ UEFA INSTRUCTION ABOUT A POSSIIBLE HEAD INJUIRES OF THE PLAYER.VAR CHECKED THIS SITUATION ACCORDING TO THE VAR PROTOCOL ( POSSIBLE RED CARD ) AND DID NOT INTERVENED CORRECTLY.
CONSIDERATION FOR NO VAR INTERVENTION (NO RED CARD):
-no excessive force( elbow was not use as a «weapon»)
-no additional movemement of the player elbow after played the ball with head
-player No 8 comes from behind to the opponent
VIDEO ΑΕΛ - ΑΡΗΣ, 48ο λεπτό
Anorthosis – Olympiakos, 55th minute
EXPLANATION: PLAYER No 99 (Olimpiakos) INTERCEPTED THE BALL AND STARTED A COUNTER ATTACK. PLAYER No 3 (Anorthosis) IN ATTEMPT TO PLAY THE BALL, MISSED THE BALL AND CLEARLY WHITH HIS BODY ( HIP) TRIPPING THE PLAYER No 99 ( Olimpiakos ) AND STOPPED HIM IN THE PROMISING ATTACK. REFEREE AWARDED THE DIRECT FREE KICK AND YELLOW CARD TO THE PLAYER No 3 WHO WAS ALREADY CAUATIONED AND SENT OFF HIM BECAUSE OF SECOND YELLOW CARD IN THE SAME GAME, CORRECTLY.
NOTE: VAR PROTOCOL DOES NOT ALLOW VAR INTERVENTION IN THE CASE OF A YELLOW CARD ( SECOND YELLOW) EVEN IS THE REFEREE DECISION IS WRONG .
VIDEO ΑΝΟΡΘΩΣΗ - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣ 55ο λεπτό
