The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/premier-league">Premier League</a> has admitted that VAR got penalty decisions wrong in all three matches on Thursday, as frustration mounts over the use of the technology in the English top-flight.

Manchester United were given a controversial helping hand by the video assistant referee in their 3-0 win at Aston Villa, while Tottenham suffered fresh frustration from the review system in their 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.

United midfielder Bruno Fernandes won a spot kick when he spun into Ezri Konsa before tumbling in the area despite little evidence of a foul by the Villa defender.

Jose Mourinho's Spurs were off-key for long periods but could feel hard done by after Josh King's push on Harry Kane in the penalty area went unpunished despite a VAR review.

Southampton's James Ward-Prowse hit the bar after a disputed penalty as the south coast side drew 1-1 with Everton.

The Premier League confirmed to the BBC's Match of the Day programme that United and Southampton should not have been given penalties, but Tottenham should have been awarded one.

Former Everton midfielder Tim Cahill, a Match of the Day pundit, said a former player should work alongside VAR officials.

"I think that would really help them, to understand the movements," the former Australia international said.

"When a player falls to buy a penalty you can feel it. It must need a player there to give advice on what the player is doing.

"They're there to make the big decisions and they can't do it. It's really disappointing."

Mourinho refused to speak about Michael Oliver's appointment as referee for Sunday's match against Arsenal at his pre-match press conference.

Oliver has been the VAR official for Spurs' past two away games. There were controversial decisions in both -- a Harry Kane goal was chalked off for a Lucas Moura handball at Sheffield United and no penalty was award at Bournemouth.

Mourinho believes referees and VAR officials should be made accessible after games to explain their decisions.

"I think you should have access to them, I think you should have access to them to ask directly why," he said.

"It is very important. They are very important in the game, I think so.

"It would stop nothing, make things much more open, much more clear. It would give the ref the chance to say, 'Yes, I made a mistake -- I feel sorry for that', or 'Yes I had incredible performance'."

The Premier League has admitted that VAR got penalty decisions wrong in all three matches on Thursday, as frustration mounts over the use of the technology in the English top-flight.

The Premier League has admitted that VAR got penalty decisions wrong in all three matches on Thursday, as frustration mounts over the use of the technology in the English top-flight. Manchester United were given a controversial helping hand by the video assistant referee in their 3-0 win at Aston Villa, while Tottenham suffered fresh frustration from the review system in their 0-0 draw at Bournemouth. United midfielder Bruno Fernandes won a spot kick when he spun into Ezri Konsa before tumbling in the area despite little evidence of a foul by the Villa defender. Jose Mourinho's Spurs were off-key for long periods but could feel hard done by after Josh King's push on Harry Kane in the penalty area went unpunished despite a VAR review. Southampton's James Ward-Prowse hit the bar after a disputed penalty as the south coast side drew 1-1 with Everton. The Premier League confirmed to the BBC's Match of the Day programme that United and Southampton should not have been given penalties, but Tottenham should have been awarded one. Former Everton midfielder Tim Cahill, a Match of the Day pundit, said a former player should work alongside VAR officials. "I think that would really help them, to understand the movements," the former Australia international said. "When a player falls to buy a penalty you can feel it. It must need a player there to give advice on what the player is doing. "They're there to make the big decisions and they can't do it. It's really disappointing." Mourinho refused to speak about Michael Oliver's appointment as referee for Sunday's match against Arsenal at his pre-match press conference. Oliver has been the VAR official for Spurs' past two away games. There were controversial decisions in both -- a Harry Kane goal was chalked off for a Lucas Moura handball at Sheffield United and no penalty was award at Bournemouth. Mourinho believes referees and VAR officials should be made accessible after games to explain their decisions. "I think you should have access to them, I think you should have access to them to ask directly why," he said. "It is very important. They are very important in the game, I think so. "It would stop nothing, make things much more open, much more clear. It would give the ref the chance to say, 'Yes, I made a mistake -- I feel sorry for that', or 'Yes I had incredible performance'."

Premier League admits VAR blunders

FIFA wants VAR video reviews to be applied in the same way across all competitions, as they take over direct responsibility for the system.

Issues concerning VAR have been handled primarily by IFAB, the game’s law-making body, during the system’s two-year experimental phase and its introduction as part of the laws of the game.

Soccer’s global governing body FIFA, however, took over the role of supporting competition organisers with the implementation of VAR from July 1.

Pierluigi Collina, the Italian former World Cup referee and chairman of FIFA’s Referees’ Committee, told Reuters the move was a “natural transition”.

“IFAB as an organisation has the duty to govern the laws of football, including VAR and the protocol and regulations. Once the laws of the game are set, IFAB’s job is over,” he said.

“It is then FIFA that deals with referees’ education around the world supporting all the member associations.”

There have been some variations in the use of VAR in different competitions and national leagues, but Collina said there should be a uniform approach.

“Another responsibility of FIFA’s is to have the laws of the game implemented all over the world in the same way, there cannot be different implementation of the laws of the game in different continents or different countries. Our responsibility is to ensure that football is played in the same way all over the world.

“Can you imagine in international competition played by teams who are used to having different interpretations of the laws of the game in their domestic competition? Saying that VAR should be used in the same way all over the world is something obvious.

“Of course there can be some small differences, but the general implementation should be the same.

“It is FIFA and IFAB’s responsibility to have the game played the same way across the world, for the benefit of those who are playing,” he said.

The Premier League has not used VAR to check for encroachment off the line by goalkeepers during penalty kicks despite that element being part of the protocol.

Speaking generally, Collina said FIFA wanted to avoid situations where players in an international tournament faced surprise decisions.

“If something is written in the laws of the game, it has to be implemented everywhere, otherwise can you imagine the surprise of someone who is penalised for something in an international game that he is not penalised for at home?

“Maybe they would not be aware of what they can do? If something in the laws of the game doesn’t work, then it is discussed and eventually changed by IFAB,” he said.

FIFA wants VAR video reviews to be applied in the same way across all competitions, as they take over direct responsibility for the system. Issues concerning VAR have been handled primarily by IFAB, the game’s law-making body, during the system’s two-year experimental phase and its introduction as part of the laws of the game.

FIFA wants VAR video reviews to be applied in the same way across all competitions, as they take over direct responsibility for the system. Issues concerning VAR have been handled primarily by IFAB, the game’s law-making body, during the system’s two-year experimental phase and its introduction as part of the laws of the game. Soccer’s global governing body FIFA, however, took over the role of supporting competition organisers with the implementation of VAR from July 1. Pierluigi Collina, the Italian former World Cup referee and chairman of FIFA’s Referees’ Committee, told Reuters the move was a “natural transition”. “IFAB as an organisation has the duty to govern the laws of football, including VAR and the protocol and regulations. Once the laws of the game are set, IFAB’s job is over,” he said. “It is then FIFA that deals with referees’ education around the world supporting all the member associations.” There have been some variations in the use of VAR in different competitions and national leagues, but Collina said there should be a uniform approach. “Another responsibility of FIFA’s is to have the laws of the game implemented all over the world in the same way, there cannot be different implementation of the laws of the game in different continents or different countries. Our responsibility is to ensure that football is played in the same way all over the world. “Can you imagine in international competition played by teams who are used to having different interpretations of the laws of the game in their domestic competition? Saying that VAR should be used in the same way all over the world is something obvious. “Of course there can be some small differences, but the general implementation should be the same. “It is FIFA and IFAB’s responsibility to have the game played the same way across the world, for the benefit of those who are playing,” he said. The Premier League has not used VAR to check for encroachment off the line by goalkeepers during penalty kicks despite that element being part of the protocol. Speaking generally, Collina said FIFA wanted to avoid situations where players in an international tournament faced surprise decisions. “If something is written in the laws of the game, it has to be implemented everywhere, otherwise can you imagine the surprise of someone who is penalised for something in an international game that he is not penalised for at home? “Maybe they would not be aware of what they can do? If something in the laws of the game doesn’t work, then it is discussed and eventually changed by IFAB,” he said.

FIFA wants uniform global use of VAR, says refs chief Collina

After three long months, Premier League finally resumed the 2019-20 season with Aston Villa and Sheffield United locking horns. While the match ended in a goalless draw, a massive error stole the limelight from the much-awaited resumption.&nbsp;

Fans, pundits and even the players were left baffled after a Sheffield United goal was not given despite the ball clearly crossing the line after Aston Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland flapped at a deadly inswinging left-wing cross from Ollie Norwood before taking the ball over the goal-line.&nbsp;

Usually, whenever a ball crosses the goal-line, the match referee receives a signal on his watch. However, on Wednesday, referee Michael Oliver didn’t receive anything and allowed the game to continue. Even Video Assistant Referee (VAR) didn’t intervene as the onus was on the goal-line technology to resolve the issue. It was an unprecedented moment and the year 2020 couldn’t have surprised us more.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sheffield-united-denied-by-tech-error-in-0-0-draw-with-aston-villa-306706" hreflang="en">Sheffield United denied by tech error in 0-0 draw with Aston Villa</a>

<h2>Unprecedented howler</h2>

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Where is both VAR and Goal-line technology when you need it? 
 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AstonVilla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AstonVilla</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sheffield?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sheffield</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PL</a> <a href="https://t.co/fedLqFnfLH">pic.twitter.com/fedLqFnfLH</a>
— Footy-holics (@FootyHolics) <a href="https://twitter.com/FootyHolics/status/1273312493688049669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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A point in the end on the PL return. 
 
All of the highlights from a contentious draw at Villa Park
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/SheffieldUnited/status/1273397162370568194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Bosses from goal-line technology providers HawkEye issued an apology after the system failed to pick up the clear goal with fans and pundits terming the incident as a major howler.&nbsp;

'During the first half of Aston Villa v Sheffield United match at Villa Park, there was a goalline incident where the ball was carried over the line by Aston Villa goalkeeper, No. 25 Nyland,' the statement read.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-outclass-arsenal-raheem-sterling-coins-on-david-luizs-mistakes-306696" hreflang="en">Manchester City outclass Arsenal; Raheem Sterling coins on David Luiz's mistakes</a>

'The match officials did not receive a signal to the watch nor earpiece as per the Goal Decision System (GDS) protocol.

The seven cameras located in the stands around the goal area were significantly occluded by the goalkeeper, defender, and goalpost.

'This level of occlusion has never been seen before in over 9,000 matches that the Hawk-Eye Goal Line Technology system has been in operation.

'The system was tested and proved functional prior to the start of the match in accordance with the IFAB Laws of The Game and confirmed as working by the match officials.&nbsp;

'The system has remained functional throughout. HawkEye unreservedly apologises to the Premier League, Sheffield United, and everyone affected by this incident.'&nbsp;

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Hawk-Eye statement on the goal line incident during Aston Villa v Sheffield match this evening. <a href="https://t.co/I2u5lqKMqe">pic.twitter.com/I2u5lqKMqe</a>
— Hawk-Eye Innovations (@Hawkeye_view) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hawkeye_view/status/1273329766750445569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The incident becomes more crucial as Sheffield United are battling for a European championship spot in what has been a tight battle from the Blades against some of the big clubs of English football. Two more points could turn out to be massive when the season ends.&nbsp;

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“What’s VAR for? Surely they can look at that and say it’s a goal, it’s like someone is scared to make a decision” 
 
Ollie Norwood speaks to SUTV 👇 <a href="https://t.co/i9h3Hb7pS6">pic.twitter.com/i9h3Hb7pS6</a>
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/SheffieldUnited/status/1273373508668661766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“I think he was in the Holte End when he caught it” - Chris Wilder. 💬 
 
The talking point from today’s game 👇 <a href="https://t.co/ICaDyhJ2dP">pic.twitter.com/ICaDyhJ2dP</a>
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/SheffieldUnited/status/1273367084886622208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“We couldn’t understand why it wasn’t given” - Enda Stevens.<a href="https://t.co/p6WtD5rsgR">pic.twitter.com/p6WtD5rsgR</a>
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/SheffieldUnited/status/1273362189601120256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

A report stated that the technology was working throughout the game and that Oliver’s watch indicated ‘goal’ during half-time when substitutes were warming up by shooting the ball into the net.

However, Sheffield boss Chris Wilder insisted it was clear the ball was over and said VAR should have come to the rescue.

"It was in the Holte End, the goalkeeper was in the Holte End and eight rows back. Everyone knew it, saw it and felt it," he said.

"I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Already the jokes have started. It's all going to come out but we're pretty disappointed and we've got to get on with it.

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“Both sets of players, both sets of staff had that feeling that was a goal. 
 
You have to, like i’m trying to, take it on the chin.” 
 
The gaffer gives his thoughts on tonight’s decision 👊 <a href="https://t.co/tsyo3Qqe9W">pic.twitter.com/tsyo3Qqe9W</a>
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/SheffieldUnited/status/1273360923584073728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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🙃<a href="https://t.co/PPRw0HjtPy">pic.twitter.com/PPRw0HjtPy</a>
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/SheffieldUnited/status/1273313269277745158?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

"I believe a decision should have been made from Stockley Park (the VAR centre). For someone to tell me with seven cameras and this is the first time it's happened in over 9,000 games it's a difficult one to take.

"We've got Chris Kavanagh (fourth official), one of the best referees in the Premier League and Michael Oliver possibly one of the best referees in Europe and if you ask them they'll be scratching their heads over how this situation occurred.

"We believe it should have been referred (to VAR)." 
&nbsp;

After three long months, Premier League finally resumed the 2019-20 season with Aston Villa and Sheffield United locking horns. While the match ended in a goalless draw, a massive error stole the limelight from the much-awaited resumption.

After three long months, Premier League finally resumed the 2019-20 season with Aston Villa and Sheffield United locking horns. While the match ended in a goalless draw, a massive error stole the limelight from the much-awaited resumption. Fans, pundits and even the players were left baffled after a Sheffield United goal was not given despite the ball clearly crossing the line after Aston Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland flapped at a deadly inswinging left-wing cross from Ollie Norwood before taking the ball over the goal-line. Usually, whenever a ball crosses the goal-line, the match referee receives a signal on his watch. However, on Wednesday, referee Michael Oliver didn’t receive anything and allowed the game to continue. Even Video Assistant Referee (VAR) didn’t intervene as the onus was on the goal-line technology to resolve the issue. It was an unprecedented moment and the year 2020 couldn’t have surprised us more. ALSO READ: Sheffield United denied by tech error in 0-0 draw with Aston Villa Unprecedented howler Where is both VAR and Goal-line technology when you need it? #AstonVilla #Sheffield #PL pic.twitter.com/fedLqFnfLH — Footy-holics (@FootyHolics) June 17, 2020 × A point in the end on the PL return. All of the highlights from a contentious draw at Villa Park — Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) June 17, 2020 × Bosses from goal-line technology providers HawkEye issued an apology after the system failed to pick up the clear goal with fans and pundits terming the incident as a major howler. 'During the first half of Aston Villa v Sheffield United match at Villa Park, there was a goalline incident where the ball was carried over the line by Aston Villa goalkeeper, No. 25 Nyland,' the statement read. ALSO READ: Manchester City outclass Arsenal; Raheem Sterling coins on David Luiz's mistakes 'The match officials did not receive a signal to the watch nor earpiece as per the Goal Decision System (GDS) protocol. The seven cameras located in the stands around the goal area were significantly occluded by the goalkeeper, defender, and goalpost. 'This level of occlusion has never been seen before in over 9,000 matches that the Hawk-Eye Goal Line Technology system has been in operation. 'The system was tested and proved functional prior to the start of the match in accordance with the IFAB Laws of The Game and confirmed as working by the match officials. 'The system has remained functional throughout. HawkEye unreservedly apologises to the Premier League, Sheffield United, and everyone affected by this incident.' Hawk-Eye statement on the goal line incident during Aston Villa v Sheffield match this evening. pic.twitter.com/I2u5lqKMqe — Hawk-Eye Innovations (@Hawkeye_view) June 17, 2020 × The incident becomes more crucial as Sheffield United are battling for a European championship spot in what has been a tight battle from the Blades against some of the big clubs of English football. Two more points could turn out to be massive when the season ends. “What’s VAR for? Surely they can look at that and say it’s a goal, it’s like someone is scared to make a decision” Ollie Norwood speaks to SUTV 👇 pic.twitter.com/i9h3Hb7pS6 — Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) June 17, 2020 × “I think he was in the Holte End when he caught it” - Chris Wilder. 💬 The talking point from today’s game 👇 pic.twitter.com/ICaDyhJ2dP — Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) June 17, 2020 × “We couldn’t understand why it wasn’t given” - Enda Stevens.pic.twitter.com/p6WtD5rsgR — Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) June 17, 2020 × A report stated that the technology was working throughout the game and that Oliver’s watch indicated ‘goal’ during half-time when substitutes were warming up by shooting the ball into the net. However, Sheffield boss Chris Wilder insisted it was clear the ball was over and said VAR should have come to the rescue. "It was in the Holte End, the goalkeeper was in the Holte End and eight rows back. Everyone knew it, saw it and felt it," he said. "I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Already the jokes have started. It's all going to come out but we're pretty disappointed and we've got to get on with it. “Both sets of players, both sets of staff had that feeling that was a goal. You have to, like i’m trying to, take it on the chin.” The gaffer gives his thoughts on tonight’s decision 👊 pic.twitter.com/tsyo3Qqe9W — Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) June 17, 2020 × 🙃pic.twitter.com/PPRw0HjtPy — Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) June 17, 2020 × "I believe a decision should have been made from Stockley Park (the VAR centre). For someone to tell me with seven cameras and this is the first time it's happened in over 9,000 games it's a difficult one to take. "We've got Chris Kavanagh (fourth official), one of the best referees in the Premier League and Michael Oliver possibly one of the best referees in Europe and if you ask them they'll be scratching their heads over how this situation occurred. "We believe it should have been referred (to VAR)."

Watch: Goal-line technology howler robs Sheffield United goal; HawkEye apologies

Tottenham Hotspur striker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-kane-keen-to-build-strong-relationship-with-mourinho-at-spurs-264993">Harry Kane</a> struck a late penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw at bottom side Norwich City, who were controversially denied a goal by a VAR review, in an entertaining <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-martial-scores-twice-as-manchester-united-crush-newcastle-270486">Premier League clash</a> on Saturday.

Kane was brought down in the area and stepped up to secure a point in his 200th Premier League match after Serge Aurier's own goal had given battling Norwich the lead for the second time.

A first-half strike by the home side's Mario Vrancic was cancelled out by Christian Eriksen's free kick after the break.

Norwich also had a Teemu Pukki effort harshly ruled out for a wafer-thin offside decision following a VAR review that left the home fans singing, "It's not football anymore."

The result leaves <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-spurs-have-the-momentum-heading-into-chelsea-clash-kane-268958">Spurs</a> in fifth place with 30 points from 20 games, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who have a game in hand at Arsenal on Sunday, while Norwich stay at the foot of the table with 13, six points from the safety zone.

The hosts went ahead with a low strike by Vrancic from the edge of the area in the 18th minute after Spurs defender Juan Foyth was dispossessed by Emiliano Buendia.

They thought they had scored again after 33 minutes when Pukki ran onto a ball over the top by Vrancic to slot home and while referee Kevin Friend awarded a goal, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mourinho-confirms-tottenham-appeal-against-wrong-red-for-son-269877">VAR's decision</a> was that the Finland striker was fractionally offside.

Spurs made the most of their let off with a goal 10 minutes into the second half from Eriksen who planted a free kick into the top corner after Jamal Lewis had handled outside the area.

Norwich then had some luck themselves when Tottenham's Ivorian right back Aurier diverted the ball past his own keeper Paulo Gazzaniga after team mate Toby Alderweireld hit it against him while trying to stop Pukki bearing down on goal.

"I think the same defensive mistakes we made in the first half, we made in the second half. This is being a little bit of our history," said Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho.

It was left to England forward Kane to salvage a draw for the visitors when he was brought down by Christoph Zimmermann and fired the spot kick home after 83 minutes.

It was his 136th Premier League goal - his 150th league goal in total -&nbsp;and only Alan Shearer and Sergio Aguero have scored more Premier League goals in their first 200 appearances.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane struck a late penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw at bottom side Norwich City, who were controversially denied a goal by a VAR review, in an entertaining Premier League clash on Saturday.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane struck a late penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw at bottom side Norwich City, who were controversially denied a goal by a VAR review, in an entertaining Premier League clash on Saturday. Kane was brought down in the area and stepped up to secure a point in his 200th Premier League match after Serge Aurier's own goal had given battling Norwich the lead for the second time. A first-half strike by the home side's Mario Vrancic was cancelled out by Christian Eriksen's free kick after the break. Norwich also had a Teemu Pukki effort harshly ruled out for a wafer-thin offside decision following a VAR review that left the home fans singing, "It's not football anymore." The result leaves Spurs in fifth place with 30 points from 20 games, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who have a game in hand at Arsenal on Sunday, while Norwich stay at the foot of the table with 13, six points from the safety zone. The hosts went ahead with a low strike by Vrancic from the edge of the area in the 18th minute after Spurs defender Juan Foyth was dispossessed by Emiliano Buendia. They thought they had scored again after 33 minutes when Pukki ran onto a ball over the top by Vrancic to slot home and while referee Kevin Friend awarded a goal, VAR's decision was that the Finland striker was fractionally offside. Spurs made the most of their let off with a goal 10 minutes into the second half from Eriksen who planted a free kick into the top corner after Jamal Lewis had handled outside the area. Norwich then had some luck themselves when Tottenham's Ivorian right back Aurier diverted the ball past his own keeper Paulo Gazzaniga after team mate Toby Alderweireld hit it against him while trying to stop Pukki bearing down on goal. "I think the same defensive mistakes we made in the first half, we made in the second half. This is being a little bit of our history," said Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho. It was left to England forward Kane to salvage a draw for the visitors when he was brought down by Christoph Zimmermann and fired the spot kick home after 83 minutes. It was his 136th Premier League goal - his 150th league goal in total - and only Alan Shearer and Sergio Aguero have scored more Premier League goals in their first 200 appearances.

Premier League: Spurs draw 2-2 at Norwich amid VAR controversy

Tottenham Hotspur manager <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mourinho-aiming-to-add-to-chelseas-woes-269130">Jose Mourinho</a> said Son Heung-min had suffered enough as he confirmed the club would appeal against the red card the South Korean received against Chelsea.

Son was dismissed in the second half of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-chelseas-frank-lampard-savours-win-over-old-mentor-jose-mourinho-269624">Spurs' 2-0 loss</a> at home to their London rivals on Sunday after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) deemed he had kicked out at Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger - an incident that led to the alleged racist abuse of the Germany international.

Anthony Talor, the on-field referee, did not punish Son, but a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-rule-makers-look-at-ways-of-providing-more-information-about-var-decisions-266170">VAR check</a> saw the player ruled guilty of violent conduct, prompting a red card.

Mourinho was dismayed when a replay of the incident was shown in the ground and Monday saw him announce Spurs' intention to contest the decision as they appeal against a Son dismissal for the second time this season.

Meanwhile, the club is still waiting to discover from the Football Association if Son will be available for Thursday's Boxing Day's clash with Brighton.

"I hope Son is not punished five times," Mourinho said Monday. "One time was the foul that Rudiger did on him.

"The second is to be sent off. The third would be not to play against Brighton. The fourth not to play against Norwich and the fifth not to play against Southampton.

"So I hope to be punished twice is enough, he doesn't deserve for the third the fourth or the fifth."

The experienced Portuguese boss lamented the way in which VAR was being deployed, saying replay official Paul Tierney rather than Taylor, the referee on the pitch, had been in charge of the game.&nbsp;

"Mr Paul Tierney decides yes and Mr Anthony Taylor who was in the game, in real time, five metres from the situation, Mr Taylor decided no," said Mourinho, now managing his third leading English club after stints at Chelsea and Manchester United.

"So who was refereeing the game? Not Mr Taylor. It was Mr Tierney.

"I think not a red card, VAR was to support football, to bring true football, to bring true to the spectacle and they did that with the penalty decision and they killed the game with Son's decision.

"The situation with Son, I think Mr Tierney made it wrong. It's the wrong call."

Dynamic winger Son, a key figure since Mourinho joined Spurs, is set to be suspended for three games if his red card is upheld.

"It would be a big loss," said Mourinho of Son, who joined Tottenham from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen four years ago. "But if that happens then we have to try to cope with it and to fight against injustice."

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho said Son Heung-min had suffered enough as he confirmed the club would appeal against the red card the South Korean received against Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho said Son Heung-min had suffered enough as he confirmed the club would appeal against the red card the South Korean received against Chelsea. Son was dismissed in the second half of Spurs' 2-0 loss at home to their London rivals on Sunday after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) deemed he had kicked out at Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger - an incident that led to the alleged racist abuse of the Germany international. Anthony Talor, the on-field referee, did not punish Son, but a VAR check saw the player ruled guilty of violent conduct, prompting a red card. Mourinho was dismayed when a replay of the incident was shown in the ground and Monday saw him announce Spurs' intention to contest the decision as they appeal against a Son dismissal for the second time this season. Meanwhile, the club is still waiting to discover from the Football Association if Son will be available for Thursday's Boxing Day's clash with Brighton. "I hope Son is not punished five times," Mourinho said Monday. "One time was the foul that Rudiger did on him. "The second is to be sent off. The third would be not to play against Brighton. The fourth not to play against Norwich and the fifth not to play against Southampton. "So I hope to be punished twice is enough, he doesn't deserve for the third the fourth or the fifth." The experienced Portuguese boss lamented the way in which VAR was being deployed, saying replay official Paul Tierney rather than Taylor, the referee on the pitch, had been in charge of the game. "Mr Paul Tierney decides yes and Mr Anthony Taylor who was in the game, in real time, five metres from the situation, Mr Taylor decided no," said Mourinho, now managing his third leading English club after stints at Chelsea and Manchester United. "So who was refereeing the game? Not Mr Taylor. It was Mr Tierney. "I think not a red card, VAR was to support football, to bring true football, to bring true to the spectacle and they did that with the penalty decision and they killed the game with Son's decision. "The situation with Son, I think Mr Tierney made it wrong. It's the wrong call." Dynamic winger Son, a key figure since Mourinho joined Spurs, is set to be suspended for three games if his red card is upheld. "It would be a big loss," said Mourinho of Son, who joined Tottenham from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen four years ago. "But if that happens then we have to try to cope with it and to fight against injustice."

Mourinho confirms Tottenham appeal against 'wrong' red for Son Heung-min

Soccer's rule-making body IFAB is to look at ways of providing more information during matches about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/english-premier-league-promises-to-improve-and-speed-up-var-use-262258">Video Assistant Referee</a> (VAR) decisions, it said following a meeting on Tuesday.

The use of VAR, match officials who use technology to review certain decisions made by the referee, has been surrounded by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/var-system-has-made-four-errors-in-premier-league-referees-chief-249386">controversy</a> over the last few months.

Some fans say the system goes far beyond its original remit, which involved only reviewing the most glaring mistakes,&nbsp;and that decisions are <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-organisers-satisfied-with-use-of-var-despite-lengthy-delays-230565">taking too long</a>.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) said in a statement that its members had agreed to "explore different communication options to improve the understanding of the decision-making process".

It recognised that there was a "growing demand for more immediate information about the referee’s final decisions after a VAR-review."

In some leagues where VAR is used, screens in the stadium indicate that a VAR review is taking place and then relay the decision but with only minimal information such as "No goal".

There have been several cases where a goal has been officially announced in the stadium, the players have celebrated and the ball is back in the centre circle ready for kickoff only for a VAR review to take place.

Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti complained recently that it was often difficult to know whether the VAR or the pitch referee was in charge of a match.

IFAB said the meeting received "positive feedback" on the changes to the laws, including a handball rule, which were introduced in June, even though, like VAR, this has been subject to much criticism.

It also agreed to set up an "expert group" to look into whether the rules need to be changed to allow for better treatment for players who suffer concussion.

The group will look a new ways of assessing concussion during a match and how to deal with it, "taking into consideration all potential resulting consequences, with player safety at the forefront".

At present, referees must stop the match in cases of suspected concussion to allow the examination of the injured player who can only return to the game with permission from the team doctor.

However, world players' union FIFPro says this does not go far enough. It wants players to be looked at by a neutral doctor and temporary substitutions to be allowed for up to 10 minutes while the examination takes place.

IFAB's annual general meeting on February&nbsp;29 will decide which proposals will be incorporated into the rules.

Soccer's rule-making body IFAB is to look at ways of providing more information during matches about Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions, it said following a meeting on Tuesday.

Soccer's rule-making body IFAB is to look at ways of providing more information during matches about Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions, it said following a meeting on Tuesday. The use of VAR, match officials who use technology to review certain decisions made by the referee, has been surrounded by controversy over the last few months. Some fans say the system goes far beyond its original remit, which involved only reviewing the most glaring mistakes, and that decisions are taking too long. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) said in a statement that its members had agreed to "explore different communication options to improve the understanding of the decision-making process". It recognised that there was a "growing demand for more immediate information about the referee’s final decisions after a VAR-review." In some leagues where VAR is used, screens in the stadium indicate that a VAR review is taking place and then relay the decision but with only minimal information such as "No goal". There have been several cases where a goal has been officially announced in the stadium, the players have celebrated and the ball is back in the centre circle ready for kickoff only for a VAR review to take place. Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti complained recently that it was often difficult to know whether the VAR or the pitch referee was in charge of a match. IFAB said the meeting received "positive feedback" on the changes to the laws, including a handball rule, which were introduced in June, even though, like VAR, this has been subject to much criticism. It also agreed to set up an "expert group" to look into whether the rules need to be changed to allow for better treatment for players who suffer concussion. The group will look a new ways of assessing concussion during a match and how to deal with it, "taking into consideration all potential resulting consequences, with player safety at the forefront". At present, referees must stop the match in cases of suspected concussion to allow the examination of the injured player who can only return to the game with permission from the team doctor. However, world players' union FIFPro says this does not go far enough. It wants players to be looked at by a neutral doctor and temporary substitutions to be allowed for up to 10 minutes while the examination takes place. IFAB's annual general meeting on February 29 will decide which proposals will be incorporated into the rules.

Football: Rule-makers look at ways of providing more information about VAR decisions

England's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-masterclass-leaves-manchester-city-in-tatters-261238">Premier League</a> has promised to improve and speed up the use of the VAR system following several controversial decisions and widespread criticism from fans and pundits.

The Premier League, using the technology for the first time this season, said in a statement that VAR was discussed at length during a shareholders meeting on Thursday and Mike Riley, its chief referee, accepted that "improvement is required".

"The Premier League and PGMOL (match officials) committed to improving the consistency of decisions, speeding up processes and increasing communication to fans," it said.

Riley told clubs that speed and consistency of decision-making "are priority areas of work and will improve as the officials become more experienced with the technology and protocols".

More information will be provided to fans, such as explaining why an incident was being looked at, Riley said.

"Ensuring the pace and tempo of Premier League football remains an important focus for clubs," the statement added.

"The core principles of VAR were reiterated. These are minimum interference for maximum benefit, maintaining the pace and tempo of Premier League football and correcting clear and obvious on-field errors."

Unlike other leagues which use VAR, such as Serie A and the Bundesliga, Premier League referees do not routinely view incidents on the pitchside monitor and this is to remained unchanged.

"It was reemphasised that it would be reserved for unseen incidents, or when information from the VAR is outside the expectation range of the referee," said the statement.

Aston Villa chief executive Christian Purslow told reporters there was a "very robust discussion".

"Messages to through to the league and the referees' association that fans are unhappy and many other stakeholders think we have got to do a whole lot better," he said.

England's Premier League has promised to improve and speed up the use of the VAR system following several controversial decisions and widespread criticism from fans and pundits.

England's Premier League has promised to improve and speed up the use of the VAR system following several controversial decisions and widespread criticism from fans and pundits. The Premier League, using the technology for the first time this season, said in a statement that VAR was discussed at length during a shareholders meeting on Thursday and Mike Riley, its chief referee, accepted that "improvement is required". "The Premier League and PGMOL (match officials) committed to improving the consistency of decisions, speeding up processes and increasing communication to fans," it said. Riley told clubs that speed and consistency of decision-making "are priority areas of work and will improve as the officials become more experienced with the technology and protocols". More information will be provided to fans, such as explaining why an incident was being looked at, Riley said. "Ensuring the pace and tempo of Premier League football remains an important focus for clubs," the statement added. "The core principles of VAR were reiterated. These are minimum interference for maximum benefit, maintaining the pace and tempo of Premier League football and correcting clear and obvious on-field errors." Unlike other leagues which use VAR, such as Serie A and the Bundesliga, Premier League referees do not routinely view incidents on the pitchside monitor and this is to remained unchanged. "It was reemphasised that it would be reserved for unseen incidents, or when information from the VAR is outside the expectation range of the referee," said the statement. Aston Villa chief executive Christian Purslow told reporters there was a "very robust discussion". "Messages to through to the league and the referees' association that fans are unhappy and many other stakeholders think we have got to do a whole lot better," he said.

English Premier League promises to improve and speed up VAR use

Tottenham's long wait for an away win in the Premier League continued as Leicester came from behind to beat last season's Champions League finalists 2-1 at the King Power on Saturday.

Harry Kane's great improvisation handed Spurs a first-half lead and Mauricio Pochettino's men thought they had doubled that advantage when Serge Aurier fired home.

However, the goal was ruled out by the finest of margins for offside after a VAR review and Leicester compounded Spurs' pain by equalising two minutes later through Ricardo Pereira.

James Maddison's fine long-range strike five minutes from time then capped Leicester's comeback as they moved above Manchester City into second in the Premier League, for a few hours at least.

By contrast, Spurs have now won just two of their first seven games of the season in all competitions and have still not won away from home in the Premier League since January.

Leicester are aiming to break the glass ceiling of the Premier League top six for the first time since their sensational title triumph in 2016.

And Brendan Rodgers's men claimed their first big-six scalp of the season after drawing away to Chelsea and running Manchester United close at Old Trafford last weekend.

The Foxes started brightly as Maddison curled just wide and then forced Spurs' stand-in goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga into a smart save at his near post.

The hosts were also first to have the ball in the net when Gazzaniga -- deputising for the injured Hugo Lloris -- spilled Youri Tielemans's shot and Wilfred Ndidi bundled home the rebound.

But replays showed Ayoze Perez was offside as he reached the loose ball off Gazzaniga first and the goal was ruled out after a VAR review.

Kane makes most of reprieve

Handed that reprieve, Tottenham went in front in unusual fashion on 29 minutes when Son Heung min's backheel found Kane, who stumbled and hit the floor as he bore down on goal.

However, the England captain still managed to flick the ball high beyond Kasper Schmeichel from the ground for his 14th goal in 13 games against Leicester.

Kane should have done better with a far better chance moments later when he dragged a shot wide.

At the other end, Gazzaniga was being kept busy as he denied Perez and Jamie Vardy either side of half-time, while Harvey Barnes also headed wastefully wide for the hosts.

But the momentum of the match truly turned Leicester's way on another VAR call 23 minutes from time.

Kane teed up Aurier to fire home from the edge of the area, but the goal was ruled out for Son being barely a millimetre offside in the build-up.

Leicester built on that huge lift and went straight down the other end to level when Vardy's low cross was turned home at the far post by Pereira.

Spurs had chances to retake the lead as Aurier fired across goal and wide, while Kane's powerful effort was too close to Schmeichel.

And they were hit with the sucker punch when Maddison pounced on a loose ball and drilled a shot into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Tottenham's long wait for an away win in the Premier League continued as Leicester came from behind to beat last season's Champions League finalists 2-1 at the King Power on Saturday.

Tottenham's long wait for an away win in the Premier League continued as Leicester came from behind to beat last season's Champions League finalists 2-1 at the King Power on Saturday. Harry Kane's great improvisation handed Spurs a first-half lead and Mauricio Pochettino's men thought they had doubled that advantage when Serge Aurier fired home. However, the goal was ruled out by the finest of margins for offside after a VAR review and Leicester compounded Spurs' pain by equalising two minutes later through Ricardo Pereira. James Maddison's fine long-range strike five minutes from time then capped Leicester's comeback as they moved above Manchester City into second in the Premier League, for a few hours at least. By contrast, Spurs have now won just two of their first seven games of the season in all competitions and have still not won away from home in the Premier League since January. Leicester are aiming to break the glass ceiling of the Premier League top six for the first time since their sensational title triumph in 2016. And Brendan Rodgers's men claimed their first big-six scalp of the season after drawing away to Chelsea and running Manchester United close at Old Trafford last weekend. The Foxes started brightly as Maddison curled just wide and then forced Spurs' stand-in goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga into a smart save at his near post. The hosts were also first to have the ball in the net when Gazzaniga -- deputising for the injured Hugo Lloris -- spilled Youri Tielemans's shot and Wilfred Ndidi bundled home the rebound. But replays showed Ayoze Perez was offside as he reached the loose ball off Gazzaniga first and the goal was ruled out after a VAR review. Kane makes most of reprieve Handed that reprieve, Tottenham went in front in unusual fashion on 29 minutes when Son Heung min's backheel found Kane, who stumbled and hit the floor as he bore down on goal. However, the England captain still managed to flick the ball high beyond Kasper Schmeichel from the ground for his 14th goal in 13 games against Leicester. Kane should have done better with a far better chance moments later when he dragged a shot wide. At the other end, Gazzaniga was being kept busy as he denied Perez and Jamie Vardy either side of half-time, while Harvey Barnes also headed wastefully wide for the hosts. But the momentum of the match truly turned Leicester's way on another VAR call 23 minutes from time. Kane teed up Aurier to fire home from the edge of the area, but the goal was ruled out for Son being barely a millimetre offside in the build-up. Leicester built on that huge lift and went straight down the other end to level when Vardy's low cross was turned home at the far post by Pereira. Spurs had chances to retake the lead as Aurier fired across goal and wide, while Kane's powerful effort was too close to Schmeichel. And they were hit with the sucker punch when Maddison pounced on a loose ball and drilled a shot into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Leicester hit back to shock Spurs with help from VAR

The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has been unable to prevent four wrong decisions in the Premier League matches this season, referees' chief Mike Riley has said.

Riley, managing director of the official referee's body and the man responsible for VAR in England, said technology had "added value to the game" but said there had been incidents where a referee's decision should have been overturned.

"If you look at the four match rounds, 227 incidents have been checked. Out of that we’ve changed six decisions. We think we should have changed 10 in total," Riley told Sky Sports News on Thursday.

“That gives you the scale of where VAR can help and add value to the game, but it also demonstrates that this is still about refereeing a game of Premier League football on the pitch.”

VAR's guidelines state that the technology should only be used to overturn a decision if the on-pitch referee has made a clear and obvious error.

Riley explained that the technology should have been used to award reigning champions Manchester City a penalty in their 3-1 win at Bournemouth and give a spot-kick to West Ham United in their 2-0 victory at home to Norwich City.

He also said Fabian Schar's goal for Newcastle United in the 1-1 draw with Watford should have been chalked off for an earlier handball, while Leicester City's Youri Tielemans should have been sent off in their 3-1 win over Bournemouth.

England's top flight joined Germany, Spain and Italy in bringing in video technology at the start of the campaign and it has played a decisive role in the opening four rounds of games.

Manchester City had an added-time strike in their 2-2 draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur ruled out for a handball by Aymeric Laporte which no-one on the pitch had spotted.

Wolverhampton Wanderers also had a goal ruled out for handball in their 0-0 draw with Leicester on the opening day after a lengthy review, prompting coach Nuno Espirito Santo to say the technology was hurting the sport's spirit.

The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has been unable to prevent four wrong decisions in the Premier League matches this season, referees' chief Mike Riley has said.

The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has been unable to prevent four wrong decisions in the Premier League matches this season, referees' chief Mike Riley has said. Riley, managing director of the official referee's body and the man responsible for VAR in England, said technology had "added value to the game" but said there had been incidents where a referee's decision should have been overturned. "If you look at the four match rounds, 227 incidents have been checked. Out of that we’ve changed six decisions. We think we should have changed 10 in total," Riley told Sky Sports News on Thursday. “That gives you the scale of where VAR can help and add value to the game, but it also demonstrates that this is still about refereeing a game of Premier League football on the pitch.” VAR's guidelines state that the technology should only be used to overturn a decision if the on-pitch referee has made a clear and obvious error. Riley explained that the technology should have been used to award reigning champions Manchester City a penalty in their 3-1 win at Bournemouth and give a spot-kick to West Ham United in their 2-0 victory at home to Norwich City. He also said Fabian Schar's goal for Newcastle United in the 1-1 draw with Watford should have been chalked off for an earlier handball, while Leicester City's Youri Tielemans should have been sent off in their 3-1 win over Bournemouth. England's top flight joined Germany, Spain and Italy in bringing in video technology at the start of the campaign and it has played a decisive role in the opening four rounds of games. Manchester City had an added-time strike in their 2-2 draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur ruled out for a handball by Aymeric Laporte which no-one on the pitch had spotted. Wolverhampton Wanderers also had a goal ruled out for handball in their 0-0 draw with Leicester on the opening day after a lengthy review, prompting coach Nuno Espirito Santo to say the technology was hurting the sport's spirit.

VAR system has made four errors in Premier League: Referees' chief

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola bemoaned a sense of deja vu as his side saw a late winner against Tottenham ruled out by VAR for the second time in four months as Saturday's Premier League clash ended 2-2.

Spurs won a thrilling Champions League quarter-final tie between the sides on away goals in April when Raheem Sterling had an injury-time strike ruled out by VAR.

And City were denied once more when Gabriel Jesus saw a stoppage-time winner disallowed on review for a handball by Aymeric Laporte.

"Deja vu. It was the same," said Guardiola. (The) last action we score a goal, VAR disallowed it. What should I say? It's the second time, it's tough."

Guardiola was angered by the inconsistent use of the technology as City were not awarded a penalty in the first-half when Rodri was hauled to the floor by Erik Lamela.

"It was incredible it wasn't a penalty in the first-half, but VAR said it wasn't and then at the end they did."

City twice led through Sterling and Sergio Aguero, but just like in last season's European clash between the sides, the hosts were susceptible on the counter-attack and at set-pieces.

Lamela's long-range effort briefly brought Spurs level in the first-half and substitute Lucas Moura equalised with his first touch 11 minutes into the second period as Mauricio Pochettino's men scored with their only two shots on target.

A share of the points sees both sides fall two points behind Liverpool just two games into the new season, but on this evidence another shootout between City and Liverpool for the title looks likely as Tottenham struggled to cope with Guardiola's men, who had 30 shots on goal.

"Better than that I don't know if we are able to reach it," added Guardiola. "We would like to win because the guys deserve it, but football sometimes is like this."

Sterling continued his stunning early-season form by opening the scoring with a fine header from a delightful cross by Kevin de Bruyne.

City had been utterly dominant for the first quarter of the match, but were hit with a sucker punch just three minutes after going in front.

Lamela was afforded acres of space inside the City half and took advantage of poor position by Ederson to curl home an equaliser from well outside the box.

The goal briefly gave Spurs the belief Pochettino had talked of before the game that they can push City and Liverpool for a three-way title race this season.

However, that quickly evaporated as the hosts took control again thanks to another sensational De Bruyne assist as this time Aguero converted the Belgian's low cross.

But Pochettino blamed the uncertainty still surrounding the futures of Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen before the transfer window closes across Europe for his side's inability to match City.

"Sometimes people struggle to realise we arrive here with our circumstances, we cannot fight face-to-face with them," said Pochettino.

"We have a lot of circumstances we have to fix in the last few weeks until the transfer window shuts in Europe."

De Bruyne should have had a hat-trick of assists before half-time as Ilkay Gundogan side-footed wide another inviting low cross, while Hugo Lloris saved from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Bernardo Silva to keep Tottenham in the game.

And that proved vital as Lucas ran straight on the pitch to flick home Lamela's corner with his head.

Spurs did not manage another effort on goal as City laid seige to their goal in search of a winner.

Jesus replaced Aguero, who was embroiled in an argument with Guardiola after leaving the field.

"We have a good relationship. It's the emotion of the game, he's an incredible competitor," insisted Guardiola.

The Argentine striker and his manager had reconciled any differences as they hugged each other in celebration when Jesus coolly slotted into the bottom corner in the 94th minute to seemingly win the game.

But replays showed the ball broke to the Brazilian via the arm of Laporte and City's ecstasy turned to agony again.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola bemoaned a sense of deja vu as his side saw a late winner against Tottenham ruled out by VAR for the second time in four months as Saturday's Premier League clash ended 2-2.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola bemoaned a sense of deja vu as his side saw a late winner against Tottenham ruled out by VAR for the second time in four months as Saturday's Premier League clash ended 2-2. Spurs won a thrilling Champions League quarter-final tie between the sides on away goals in April when Raheem Sterling had an injury-time strike ruled out by VAR. And City were denied once more when Gabriel Jesus saw a stoppage-time winner disallowed on review for a handball by Aymeric Laporte. "Deja vu. It was the same," said Guardiola. (The) last action we score a goal, VAR disallowed it. What should I say? It's the second time, it's tough." Guardiola was angered by the inconsistent use of the technology as City were not awarded a penalty in the first-half when Rodri was hauled to the floor by Erik Lamela. "It was incredible it wasn't a penalty in the first-half, but VAR said it wasn't and then at the end they did." City twice led through Sterling and Sergio Aguero, but just like in last season's European clash between the sides, the hosts were susceptible on the counter-attack and at set-pieces. Lamela's long-range effort briefly brought Spurs level in the first-half and substitute Lucas Moura equalised with his first touch 11 minutes into the second period as Mauricio Pochettino's men scored with their only two shots on target. A share of the points sees both sides fall two points behind Liverpool just two games into the new season, but on this evidence another shootout between City and Liverpool for the title looks likely as Tottenham struggled to cope with Guardiola's men, who had 30 shots on goal. "Better than that I don't know if we are able to reach it," added Guardiola. "We would like to win because the guys deserve it, but football sometimes is like this." Sterling continued his stunning early-season form by opening the scoring with a fine header from a delightful cross by Kevin de Bruyne. City had been utterly dominant for the first quarter of the match, but were hit with a sucker punch just three minutes after going in front. Lamela was afforded acres of space inside the City half and took advantage of poor position by Ederson to curl home an equaliser from well outside the box. The goal briefly gave Spurs the belief Pochettino had talked of before the game that they can push City and Liverpool for a three-way title race this season. However, that quickly evaporated as the hosts took control again thanks to another sensational De Bruyne assist as this time Aguero converted the Belgian's low cross. But Pochettino blamed the uncertainty still surrounding the futures of Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen before the transfer window closes across Europe for his side's inability to match City. "Sometimes people struggle to realise we arrive here with our circumstances, we cannot fight face-to-face with them," said Pochettino. "We have a lot of circumstances we have to fix in the last few weeks until the transfer window shuts in Europe." De Bruyne should have had a hat-trick of assists before half-time as Ilkay Gundogan side-footed wide another inviting low cross, while Hugo Lloris saved from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Bernardo Silva to keep Tottenham in the game. And that proved vital as Lucas ran straight on the pitch to flick home Lamela's corner with his head. Spurs did not manage another effort on goal as City laid seige to their goal in search of a winner. Jesus replaced Aguero, who was embroiled in an argument with Guardiola after leaving the field. "We have a good relationship. It's the emotion of the game, he's an incredible competitor," insisted Guardiola. The Argentine striker and his manager had reconciled any differences as they hugged each other in celebration when Jesus coolly slotted into the bottom corner in the 94th minute to seemingly win the game. But replays showed the ball broke to the Brazilian via the arm of Laporte and City's ecstasy turned to agony again.

Deja vu for Manchester City as VAR saves Spurs again

Premier League interim chief executive Richard Masters admits VAR is certain to cause "controversy" when the technology makes its English top-flight debut in the forthcoming season.

The video referee system will be used for the first time in the Premier League after its introduction was delayed for a year to allow time to develop the system.

VAR has been used in England in the FA Cup and League Cup, as well as in numerous other foreign leagues and tournaments including the Champions League.

It hasn't been a huge success, with complaints from managers and fans about the slowness of the system and mistakes made by the officials.&nbsp;

"I have no doubt it will create some controversy because it is about the big decisions but we are prepared for that," Masters said.

"We have spent two years working up to this point, and we were committed to doing it in our heads for two years.

"We have been training and testing and making sure when it happens, particularly on Saturday afternoons when we have got multiple matches going on, that we have a number of VARs trained. We feel that is done and we are ready to launch it."

Masters is adamant the Premier League have looked at ways to ensure VAR operates effectively, taking lessons from the initial use of the system elsewhere.

He hopes there will be fewer stoppages for referees to consult monitors than seen during other events such as the Champions League last season or the recent Women's World Cup.

"I think fans want to see those clear and obvious mistakes changed and put right," Masters said in China, where he has been attending the Premier League's pre-season Asia Trophy.

"But they don't want to see the Premier League or English football interrupted, or the pace of the game changed.

"I think the only difference you might see is the referees using the referee review area a bit more sparingly and relying more on the VAR for the more subjective decisions.

"But we are putting something new into the Premier League and if it needs to be refined or improved or tweaked we will look at it when the moment arises.&nbsp;

"We've got to let it happen first and keep an open mind about whether it is really working."

Premier League interim chief executive Richard Masters admits VAR is certain to cause "controversy" when the technology makes its English top-flight debut in the forthcoming season.

Premier League interim chief executive Richard Masters admits VAR is certain to cause "controversy" when the technology makes its English top-flight debut in the forthcoming season. The video referee system will be used for the first time in the Premier League after its introduction was delayed for a year to allow time to develop the system. VAR has been used in England in the FA Cup and League Cup, as well as in numerous other foreign leagues and tournaments including the Champions League. It hasn't been a huge success, with complaints from managers and fans about the slowness of the system and mistakes made by the officials. "I have no doubt it will create some controversy because it is about the big decisions but we are prepared for that," Masters said. "We have spent two years working up to this point, and we were committed to doing it in our heads for two years. "We have been training and testing and making sure when it happens, particularly on Saturday afternoons when we have got multiple matches going on, that we have a number of VARs trained. We feel that is done and we are ready to launch it." Masters is adamant the Premier League have looked at ways to ensure VAR operates effectively, taking lessons from the initial use of the system elsewhere. He hopes there will be fewer stoppages for referees to consult monitors than seen during other events such as the Champions League last season or the recent Women's World Cup. "I think fans want to see those clear and obvious mistakes changed and put right," Masters said in China, where he has been attending the Premier League's pre-season Asia Trophy. "But they don't want to see the Premier League or English football interrupted, or the pace of the game changed. "I think the only difference you might see is the referees using the referee review area a bit more sparingly and relying more on the VAR for the more subjective decisions. "But we are putting something new into the Premier League and if it needs to be refined or improved or tweaked we will look at it when the moment arises. "We've got to let it happen first and keep an open mind about whether it is really working."

VAR will cause 'controversy' admits Premier League chief

Champions Chile maintained their hopes of a third straight Copa America victory after beating Colombia on penalties on Friday to reach the semi-finals.

Chile could have won the game in normal time but had two goals ruled out for marginal decisions in a scoreless draw, before Alexis Sanchez stroked home the winning spot-kick.

It was just rewarding for the champions after dominating a match in which Colombia held on thanks to a couple of tight VAR calls.

Charles Aranguiz had a goal ruled out in the first half for a marginal offside against <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-alexis-sanchez-strikes-again-to-take-chile-into-quarters-229418&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjGoODWio7jAhUTk3AKHWFNAYkQFjABegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Uct2rjBNMMYKCsvAx-2wK">Sanchez </a>in the build-up to the move.

And after Arturo Vidal shot low into the far corner on 70 minutes, that was chalked off for a handball against Guillermo Maripan, who had teed up the Barcelona midfielder.

Following eight successful penalties, William Tesillo casually put his effort wide for Colombia, leaving Sanchez to be the hero, as the Manchester United forward continues to make up in Brazil for a dreadful club season.

"We dominated practically the whole match. It was a great match against a team with a lot of quality," said Vidal.

"We scored two goals that unfortunately VAR annulled. We deserved to have won in normal time, we couldn't, but we managed to score the five penalties and went into the next round," he added.

They will face either Uruguay, who beat them 1-0 in the group stages on Monday, or Peru in Wednesday's semi-final in Porto Alegre.

"Penalties are more in the hands of God than the players, that's the way they've always been and always will be," moaned Colombia coach Carlos Queiroz.

Chile bemused&nbsp; 
 
The first half was dominated by Chile's 16th-minute goal being controversially disallowed.

Jean Beausejour made a surging, overlapping run down the left and his inviting cross was spilled by Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina after Davinson Sanchez got in his way, allowing Aranguiz to nip in and slot home from a tight angle.

But much to the bemusement of many watching, the referee consulted <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-organisers-satisfied-with-use-of-var-despite-lengthy-delays-230565&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjN9cOui47jAhWMPY8KHfH4CFEQFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2zC3hV_1WlUy8b3P4NxQeT">VAR </a>and the goal was chalked off for the most marginal of offsides.

Until then, Colombia had been the better side. On five minutes, a Radamel Falcao cushioned header found Roger Martinez but the forward wanted an extra touch and his goal-bound volley was charged down.

James Rodriguez then had a free-kick in a dangerous position but failed to clear the defensive wall.

Ospina made an incredible one-handed save on 12 minutes to keep out an Eduardo Vargas header from a Jose Fuenzalida cross, but it wouldn't have counted anyway as the ball was deemed to have been out of play.

Soon after the disallowed goal tempers flared as Sanchez squared up to Wilmar Barrios, only to then find himself face-to-face with Colombia's giant centre-back Yerry Mina.

Chile were by now in control of proceedings and Maripan headed over from a Beausejour cross.

The champions were buzzing and Mauricio Isla threaded a through ball to Vargas, whose shot was blocked by a sliding Mina.

Chile were looking increasingly threatening as Sanchez fired wide, Fuenzalida had a shot blocked and Vidal went closest yet with a curler from 18 yards.

VAR saves Colombia again&nbsp; 
 
Colombia made a bright opening to the second period as Rodriguez curled a free-kick into the side-netting and Juan Cuadrado sliced well wide on a rapier counter-attack.

Ospina was having a jittery performance and needed two attempts to gather a long-range Vargas strike.

The best chance of the match came on the hour when Aranguiz slipped in Sanchez behind the defence but under pressure from a backtracking Davinson Sanchez, the Manchester United forward sliced his shot horribly wide.

When Chile had the ball in the net again on 70 minutes after Vidal fired home through a forest of legs into the far corner, Argentine referee Nestor Pitana again signalled to <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-brazil-have-three-goals-denied-by-var-in-draw-with-venezuela-228581&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjN9cOui47jAhWMPY8KHfH4CFEQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ZDP0E4mKQrVHOajO0MgcN">VAR </a>and Colombia were reprieved for the second time.

Chile continued to boss proceedings right to the end but in the shoot-out, it was third time lucky as not even VAR could deny them victory this time.

Champions Chile maintained their hopes of a third straight Copa America victory after beating Colombia on penalties on Friday to reach the semi-finals. Chile could have won the game in normal time but had two goals ruled out for marginal decisions in a scoreless draw, before Alexis Sanchez stroked home the winning spot-kick.

Champions Chile maintained their hopes of a third straight Copa America victory after beating Colombia on penalties on Friday to reach the semi-finals. Chile could have won the game in normal time but had two goals ruled out for marginal decisions in a scoreless draw, before Alexis Sanchez stroked home the winning spot-kick. It was just rewarding for the champions after dominating a match in which Colombia held on thanks to a couple of tight VAR calls. Charles Aranguiz had a goal ruled out in the first half for a marginal offside against Sanchez in the build-up to the move. And after Arturo Vidal shot low into the far corner on 70 minutes, that was chalked off for a handball against Guillermo Maripan, who had teed up the Barcelona midfielder. Following eight successful penalties, William Tesillo casually put his effort wide for Colombia, leaving Sanchez to be the hero, as the Manchester United forward continues to make up in Brazil for a dreadful club season. "We dominated practically the whole match. It was a great match against a team with a lot of quality," said Vidal. "We scored two goals that unfortunately VAR annulled. We deserved to have won in normal time, we couldn't, but we managed to score the five penalties and went into the next round," he added. They will face either Uruguay, who beat them 1-0 in the group stages on Monday, or Peru in Wednesday's semi-final in Porto Alegre. "Penalties are more in the hands of God than the players, that's the way they've always been and always will be," moaned Colombia coach Carlos Queiroz. Chile bemused The first half was dominated by Chile's 16th-minute goal being controversially disallowed. Jean Beausejour made a surging, overlapping run down the left and his inviting cross was spilled by Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina after Davinson Sanchez got in his way, allowing Aranguiz to nip in and slot home from a tight angle. But much to the bemusement of many watching, the referee consulted VAR and the goal was chalked off for the most marginal of offsides. Until then, Colombia had been the better side. On five minutes, a Radamel Falcao cushioned header found Roger Martinez but the forward wanted an extra touch and his goal-bound volley was charged down. James Rodriguez then had a free-kick in a dangerous position but failed to clear the defensive wall. Ospina made an incredible one-handed save on 12 minutes to keep out an Eduardo Vargas header from a Jose Fuenzalida cross, but it wouldn't have counted anyway as the ball was deemed to have been out of play. Soon after the disallowed goal tempers flared as Sanchez squared up to Wilmar Barrios, only to then find himself face-to-face with Colombia's giant centre-back Yerry Mina. Chile were by now in control of proceedings and Maripan headed over from a Beausejour cross. The champions were buzzing and Mauricio Isla threaded a through ball to Vargas, whose shot was blocked by a sliding Mina. Chile were looking increasingly threatening as Sanchez fired wide, Fuenzalida had a shot blocked and Vidal went closest yet with a curler from 18 yards. VAR saves Colombia again Colombia made a bright opening to the second period as Rodriguez curled a free-kick into the side-netting and Juan Cuadrado sliced well wide on a rapier counter-attack. Ospina was having a jittery performance and needed two attempts to gather a long-range Vargas strike. The best chance of the match came on the hour when Aranguiz slipped in Sanchez behind the defence but under pressure from a backtracking Davinson Sanchez, the Manchester United forward sliced his shot horribly wide. When Chile had the ball in the net again on 70 minutes after Vidal fired home through a forest of legs into the far corner, Argentine referee Nestor Pitana again signalled to VAR and Colombia were reprieved for the second time. Chile continued to boss proceedings right to the end but in the shoot-out, it was third time lucky as not even VAR could deny them victory this time.

Copa America: Chile beat Colombia on penalties to reach semifinal

Copa America organisers CONMEBOL defended the use of video technology at the tournament after revealing VAR stoppages had averaged two minutes 26 seconds per intervention, nearly double the time taken at the 2018 World Cup.

The lengthy delays to play owing to VAR has led to whistling from disgruntled supporters and been criticised by figures including <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-colombia-defeats-qatar-1-0-moves-to-quarter-final-228873&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjS-uXA2IbjAhUXfysKHTciBYAQFjAGegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Rtxu-bdYoDV_gIx2leyXe">Colombia </a>coach Carlos Queiroz, just as the technology has become a huge topic of debate at the Women's World Cup.

CONMEBOL referees' chief Wilson Seneme gave a news conference on Tuesday after the conclusion of the group stage to discuss the use of VAR at the tournament and said there had been 17 interventions in the 18 games, with 11 on-screen reviews.

The average time per intervention easily eclipses the 80-second delays for VAR at the 2018 World Cup, the first major tournament where the technology was used.

The longest amount of stoppage time added on in the Copa was nine minutes in <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-brazil-crush-peru-to-reach-last-eight-229690&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjjiv_X2IbjAhXGXSsKHZYSDeIQFjAFegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0uPoq1x3-uyx9tjaBzWBcp">Brazil's </a>goalless draw with Venezuela, during which three goals were ruled out - two by VAR.

The extra time for stoppages added in that game was dwarfed, however, by the 18 minutes added in England's 3-0 win over Cameroon in the Women's World Cup.

"There have been no scandals and this gives us peace of mind. We are very satisfied with the result," Seneme said, adding that 15 decisions were changed as a result of the technology's use and two were upheld.

"We have been working on this since 2017 and the positive and negative results have allowed us to manage it well in 2019. The referee is still the one who decides, VAR is there to help the decisions,"&nbsp;Seneme said.

Venezuela have had a total of four goals scored against them ruled out by VAR, and after they scraped a goalless draw with hosts Brazil after two late goals were chalked off, coach Rafael Dudamel delightedly declared "Long live VAR".

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/argentina-beat-qatar-2-0-to-qualify-for-copa-america-last-eight-229875&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiLiPuO2IbjAhUEFogKHUqxD-4QFjADegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0KH8wOiFoRjbPqWYsry6Vg">Argentina </a>meanwhile were losing to Paraguay when they were awarded a penalty which no-one had appealed for after VAR spotted that a shot from Lautaro Martinez had taken the slightest of deflections off the hand of Paraguay's Ivan Piris.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-lionel-messis-penalty-rescues-argentina-against-paraguay-228869&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjS-uXA2IbjAhUXfysKHTciBYAQFjAHegQICxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1qwhh1mCV-kTGexBF7sw55">Lionel Messi</a> scored from the spot to salvage a 1-1 draw which proved crucial in his side progressing to the last eight, where they will face Venezuela.

Colombia coach Queiroz has been VAR's fiercest critic at the tournament, saying it desperately needed to be reviewed after it denied his side a goal and overturned a penalty that had been awarded to them in a 1-0 win over Paraguay.

“Something has to change, because the fans are left confused and the players and coaches too. VAR was supposed to make football clearer and more objective but it’s doing the opposite," Queiroz said.

“We need to have a re-think for the good of football because the fans are not happy about it and neither are we,” added&nbsp;Queiroz.

Copa America organisers CONMEBOL defended the use of video technology at the tournament after revealing VAR stoppages had averaged two minutes 26 seconds per intervention, nearly double the time taken at the 2018 World Cup.

Copa America organisers CONMEBOL defended the use of video technology at the tournament after revealing VAR stoppages had averaged two minutes 26 seconds per intervention, nearly double the time taken at the 2018 World Cup. The lengthy delays to play owing to VAR has led to whistling from disgruntled supporters and been criticised by figures including Colombia coach Carlos Queiroz, just as the technology has become a huge topic of debate at the Women's World Cup. CONMEBOL referees' chief Wilson Seneme gave a news conference on Tuesday after the conclusion of the group stage to discuss the use of VAR at the tournament and said there had been 17 interventions in the 18 games, with 11 on-screen reviews. The average time per intervention easily eclipses the 80-second delays for VAR at the 2018 World Cup, the first major tournament where the technology was used. The longest amount of stoppage time added on in the Copa was nine minutes in Brazil's goalless draw with Venezuela, during which three goals were ruled out - two by VAR. The extra time for stoppages added in that game was dwarfed, however, by the 18 minutes added in England's 3-0 win over Cameroon in the Women's World Cup. "There have been no scandals and this gives us peace of mind. We are very satisfied with the result," Seneme said, adding that 15 decisions were changed as a result of the technology's use and two were upheld. "We have been working on this since 2017 and the positive and negative results have allowed us to manage it well in 2019. The referee is still the one who decides, VAR is there to help the decisions," Seneme said. Venezuela have had a total of four goals scored against them ruled out by VAR, and after they scraped a goalless draw with hosts Brazil after two late goals were chalked off, coach Rafael Dudamel delightedly declared "Long live VAR". Argentina meanwhile were losing to Paraguay when they were awarded a penalty which no-one had appealed for after VAR spotted that a shot from Lautaro Martinez had taken the slightest of deflections off the hand of Paraguay's Ivan Piris. Lionel Messi scored from the spot to salvage a 1-1 draw which proved crucial in his side progressing to the last eight, where they will face Venezuela. Colombia coach Queiroz has been VAR's fiercest critic at the tournament, saying it desperately needed to be reviewed after it denied his side a goal and overturned a penalty that had been awarded to them in a 1-0 win over Paraguay. “Something has to change, because the fans are left confused and the players and coaches too. VAR was supposed to make football clearer and more objective but it’s doing the opposite," Queiroz said. “We need to have a re-think for the good of football because the fans are not happy about it and neither are we,” added Queiroz.

Copa America organisers 'satisfied' with use of VAR despite lengthy delays

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) rode to Venezuela's rescue once again at the Copa America on Tuesday, denying hosts Brazil two goals in a surprise 0-0 draw in Group A.

Brazil, who had another goal chopped off by the referee, were left to rue a series of missed chances in another sub-par performance that did little to excite the home fans.

Roberto Firmino had a goal disallowed late in the first half after the referee awarded a foul against the hosts, before substitute Gabriel Jesus found the net on the hour mark only for a VAR review to deem Firmino offside in the build-up.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/philippe-coutinho-helps-brazil-forget-neymar-in-winning-copa-america-start-227257&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj6v6Pt7_TiAhUI3Y8KHb3WD-oQFjADegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw17wn7Hd-iYAj1m3Ja3u2YP">Philippe Coutinho</a> looked to have found the winner when he netted from close range but VAR intervened again, this time for Firmino appearing to handle the ball before it dropped to Coutinho.

After the game, Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel sang the praises of the technology, which has saved his side on four occasions so far. Peru were also denied two goals by VAR in their opening 0-0 draw with the Venezuelans.

"Long live VAR," Dudamel said.

"We played an almost perfect game against a team of brilliant individuals. <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-america-brazil-booed-by-fans-after-teams-lacklustre-display-227349&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjmhqvV7_TiAhUE5o8KHfFwDx8QFjAJegQIChAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ndfnH2hGt0maErM-RmLuf">Brazil </a>put us to the test but the team understood what needed to be done and remembered what tactics we needed to deploy," he told reporters.

"This is a historic result for us,"&nbsp;Dudamel added.

Brazil lead the group on four points ahead of Peru, who beat Bolivia 3-1 earlier in the day and also have four points.

Brazil meet Peru in their final group game on Saturday with both sides needing only a draw to seal their place in the quarter-finals. Venezuela have two points while Bolivia are without a point, with the two facing each other on Saturday.

The top two in each group are guaranteed a place in the last eight, along with the two highest-ranked teams finishing third.

Brazil had faced criticism from fans for their slow start to their opening game against Bolivia, which they went on to win 3-0, and while they made a stronger start here they failed to take the numerous chances that came their way.

WASTED CHANCES

David Neres and Firmino missed the target and Richarlison was thwarted by Venezuela goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez early on, while substitute Jesus and defender Filipe Luis both wasted chances to win the game after the interval.

The final whistle was greeted by loud boos from the unimpressed 39,000 supporters at the Arena Fonte Nova, the hosts again failing to attract a full house after underselling the opener, with over 10,000 seats left empty this time.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/neymars-absence-could-be-blessing-in-disguise-for-copa-america-hosts-brazil-226145&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj6v6Pt7_TiAhUI3Y8KHb3WD-oQFjAFegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2tewzoyDkh_U7ix4_DQfQP">Brazil </a>defender Thiago Silva said his side did not deserve the flak they were getting.

"In the second half, they (Venezuela) practically never got out their own area. We didn't win because of small details. But when you don't score goals it looks like everything is wrong," he said.

But coach Tite could understand the fans' frustrations.

"We have to understand the supporters, they want to see goals and if I had been in the crowd I also would have wanted to boo us," Tite said.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) rode to Venezuela's rescue once again at the Copa America on Tuesday, denying hosts Brazil two goals in a surprise 0-0 draw in Group A.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) rode to Venezuela's rescue once again at the Copa America on Tuesday, denying hosts Brazil two goals in a surprise 0-0 draw in Group A. Brazil, who had another goal chopped off by the referee, were left to rue a series of missed chances in another sub-par performance that did little to excite the home fans. Roberto Firmino had a goal disallowed late in the first half after the referee awarded a foul against the hosts, before substitute Gabriel Jesus found the net on the hour mark only for a VAR review to deem Firmino offside in the build-up. Philippe Coutinho looked to have found the winner when he netted from close range but VAR intervened again, this time for Firmino appearing to handle the ball before it dropped to Coutinho. After the game, Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel sang the praises of the technology, which has saved his side on four occasions so far. Peru were also denied two goals by VAR in their opening 0-0 draw with the Venezuelans. "Long live VAR," Dudamel said. "We played an almost perfect game against a team of brilliant individuals. Brazil put us to the test but the team understood what needed to be done and remembered what tactics we needed to deploy," he told reporters. "This is a historic result for us," Dudamel added. Brazil lead the group on four points ahead of Peru, who beat Bolivia 3-1 earlier in the day and also have four points. Brazil meet Peru in their final group game on Saturday with both sides needing only a draw to seal their place in the quarter-finals. Venezuela have two points while Bolivia are without a point, with the two facing each other on Saturday. The top two in each group are guaranteed a place in the last eight, along with the two highest-ranked teams finishing third. Brazil had faced criticism from fans for their slow start to their opening game against Bolivia, which they went on to win 3-0, and while they made a stronger start here they failed to take the numerous chances that came their way. WASTED CHANCES David Neres and Firmino missed the target and Richarlison was thwarted by Venezuela goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez early on, while substitute Jesus and defender Filipe Luis both wasted chances to win the game after the interval. The final whistle was greeted by loud boos from the unimpressed 39,000 supporters at the Arena Fonte Nova, the hosts again failing to attract a full house after underselling the opener, with over 10,000 seats left empty this time. Brazil defender Thiago Silva said his side did not deserve the flak they were getting. "In the second half, they (Venezuela) practically never got out their own area. We didn't win because of small details. But when you don't score goals it looks like everything is wrong," he said. But coach Tite could understand the fans' frustrations. "We have to understand the supporters, they want to see goals and if I had been in the crowd I also would have wanted to boo us," Tite said.

Copa America: Brazil have three goals denied by VAR in draw with Venezuela

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be used at this week's UEFA Nations League finals in Portugal, Europe's soccer governing body UEFA said on Monday.

VAR, which allows incidents to be reviewed with the help of video replays, was used at last year's World Cup in Russia and this season's Champions League knockout stages and will also be part of the English Premier League from next season.

UEFA briefed the coaches of Nations League semi-finalists Portugal, England, Switzerland and the Netherlands about VAR in April and England manager Gareth Southgate has welcomed its use in the competition.

"You'll never get a system that is 100% fail-safe but the key decisions that are clear and obvious have been rectified," Southgate said. "My feeling... is that in the main the big decisions have been right."

The main criticisms of VAR are the amount of time it takes for decisions to be reviewed and that fans inside the stadium are left in the dark while the referee looks at replays on the sidelines.

Netherlands coach Ronaldo Koeman said the system still had room for improvement.

"VAR is a good help to make football fairer and most of the mistakes will be corrected. That of course is a good thing," Koeman said.

"We must realize, however, that discussions will continue to exist, because you can often interpret actions in multiple ways. I am in favour of the VAR tackling the big, obvious issues only, rather than to search endlessly for potential errors."

England face the Netherlands in the Nations League semi-finals on June 6, a day after hosts Portugal play Switzerland in the first semi-final.

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be used at this week's UEFA Nations League finals in Portugal, Europe's soccer governing body UEFA said on Monday. VAR, which allows incidents to be reviewed with the help of video replays, was used at last year's World Cup in Russia and this season's Champions League knockout stages and will also be part of the English Premier League from next season.

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be used at this week's UEFA Nations League finals in Portugal, Europe's soccer governing body UEFA said on Monday. VAR, which allows incidents to be reviewed with the help of video replays, was used at last year's World Cup in Russia and this season's Champions League knockout stages and will also be part of the English Premier League from next season. UEFA briefed the coaches of Nations League semi-finalists Portugal, England, Switzerland and the Netherlands about VAR in April and England manager Gareth Southgate has welcomed its use in the competition. "You'll never get a system that is 100% fail-safe but the key decisions that are clear and obvious have been rectified," Southgate said. "My feeling... is that in the main the big decisions have been right." The main criticisms of VAR are the amount of time it takes for decisions to be reviewed and that fans inside the stadium are left in the dark while the referee looks at replays on the sidelines. Netherlands coach Ronaldo Koeman said the system still had room for improvement. "VAR is a good help to make football fairer and most of the mistakes will be corrected. That of course is a good thing," Koeman said. "We must realize, however, that discussions will continue to exist, because you can often interpret actions in multiple ways. I am in favour of the VAR tackling the big, obvious issues only, rather than to search endlessly for potential errors." England face the Netherlands in the Nations League semi-finals on June 6, a day after hosts Portugal play Switzerland in the first semi-final.

VAR to be used in Nations League finals week, says UEFA

After an astonishing encounter at the Etihad Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur reached the semi-finals of the Champions League on away goals following a 4-3 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday.

Spurs, who won the first leg 1-0 and progressed after the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate, will play Ajax Amsterdam for a place in the final against Liverpool or Barcelona after one of the most remarkable matches in the competition's history.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino predicted the meeting with the exciting and young Dutch side would be an "open and exciting game" but it will take something for it to offer more entertainment than this non-stop wave of drama and emotions.

It started in manic fashion with four goals in the opening 11 minutes of the game. It was a gripping spectacle right up until the dramatic finale when City had a stoppage-time goal from Raheem Sterling, which would have sent them through, ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

City fans had celebrated what looked like the goal that sent them into the last four before the replay confirmed that Sergio Aguero was offside in the build-up.

It was a perfect example of the benefits of using technology but it was also hard on Pep Guardiola's side who had been the stronger over the 90 minutes.

"It is cruel but it is what it is and we have to accept it," said Guardiola, whose dream of winning four titles this season is now over.

His counterpart, Pochettino, who was without his top scorer Harry Kane, said his team had shown all their character.

"My players are heroes. We made history," said the Argentine, whose team reach the last four for the first time since the creation of the Champions League and since their 1962 appearance in the semi-finals of the European Cup.

The contest exploded into life in the fourth minute when Sterling put City in front, receiving a ball from Kevin De Bruyne on the left flank and then cutting inside onto his right foot before beating Hugo Lloris with a beautiful, curling shot into the far corner.

Three minutes later though, Spurs drew level when City’s French defender Aymeric Laporte’s attempted clearance fell straight at the feet of Son Heung-min whose low shot flew in off the leg of City keeper Ederson.

Laporte was also at fault for Spurs' second in the 10th minute when he gifted the ball to Lucas Moura, the Brazilian feeding Christian Eriksen who found Son, the brilliant South Korean finishing superbly into the far corner.

Struck Again

There was no respite as City responded immediately as Aguero fed Bernardo Silva and the Portuguese winger's left-foot shot deflected off Danny Rose and beat the wrong-footed Lloris to make it 2-2 on the night.

The dangerous Sterling struck again in the 21st minute to level the aggregate score, ghosting in at the back post to convert a low cross from De Bruyne that had zipped across the face of the goal.

A thundering strike from Aguero in the 59th minute put City in the driving seat again -- the Argentine blasting in at Lloris's near post after a magnificent burst forward and perfectly weighted and timed pass from De Bruyne.

City, who went out at the same stage to Liverpool last season, were stunned though in the 73rd minute when Spurs substitute Fernando Llorente bundled in a Kieran Trippier corner to restore the London club's advantage through away goals.

With officials unsure if the ball had bounced off the Spaniard's hand or rolled off his hip in the goalmouth scramble, VAR was called into action and the goal stood for Spurs -- a decision Guardiola questioned after the game.

Then came the stoppage time video torture for the home support -- Aguero burst down the right flank and delivered a low cross for Sterling to slot home what would have been his hat-trick goal.

The VAR call was correct and the Premier League champions were out -- to the delight of Pochettino and his players who celebrated wildly in front of the travelling Spurs support.

"They deserve a lot of praise. I am so happy because the effort is massive from the squad who have lived with everything. If we have one thing to describe this team, we always keep the same spirit, ideas and philosophy and that is the most important thing," Pochettino said.

Now the pair will meet again on Saturday at the same venue in the Premier League, with plenty at stake for both teams.

It should be another classic but it is hard to see how it could be quite as engrossing as this one.

After an astonishing encounter at the Etihad Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur reached the semi-finals of the Champions League on away goals following a 4-3 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday.

After an astonishing encounter at the Etihad Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur reached the semi-finals of the Champions League on away goals following a 4-3 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday. Spurs, who won the first leg 1-0 and progressed after the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate, will play Ajax Amsterdam for a place in the final against Liverpool or Barcelona after one of the most remarkable matches in the competition's history. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino predicted the meeting with the exciting and young Dutch side would be an "open and exciting game" but it will take something for it to offer more entertainment than this non-stop wave of drama and emotions. It started in manic fashion with four goals in the opening 11 minutes of the game. It was a gripping spectacle right up until the dramatic finale when City had a stoppage-time goal from Raheem Sterling, which would have sent them through, ruled out for offside after a VAR review. City fans had celebrated what looked like the goal that sent them into the last four before the replay confirmed that Sergio Aguero was offside in the build-up. It was a perfect example of the benefits of using technology but it was also hard on Pep Guardiola's side who had been the stronger over the 90 minutes. "It is cruel but it is what it is and we have to accept it," said Guardiola, whose dream of winning four titles this season is now over. His counterpart, Pochettino, who was without his top scorer Harry Kane, said his team had shown all their character. "My players are heroes. We made history," said the Argentine, whose team reach the last four for the first time since the creation of the Champions League and since their 1962 appearance in the semi-finals of the European Cup. The contest exploded into life in the fourth minute when Sterling put City in front, receiving a ball from Kevin De Bruyne on the left flank and then cutting inside onto his right foot before beating Hugo Lloris with a beautiful, curling shot into the far corner. Three minutes later though, Spurs drew level when City’s French defender Aymeric Laporte’s attempted clearance fell straight at the feet of Son Heung-min whose low shot flew in off the leg of City keeper Ederson. Laporte was also at fault for Spurs' second in the 10th minute when he gifted the ball to Lucas Moura, the Brazilian feeding Christian Eriksen who found Son, the brilliant South Korean finishing superbly into the far corner. Struck Again There was no respite as City responded immediately as Aguero fed Bernardo Silva and the Portuguese winger's left-foot shot deflected off Danny Rose and beat the wrong-footed Lloris to make it 2-2 on the night. The dangerous Sterling struck again in the 21st minute to level the aggregate score, ghosting in at the back post to convert a low cross from De Bruyne that had zipped across the face of the goal. A thundering strike from Aguero in the 59th minute put City in the driving seat again -- the Argentine blasting in at Lloris's near post after a magnificent burst forward and perfectly weighted and timed pass from De Bruyne. City, who went out at the same stage to Liverpool last season, were stunned though in the 73rd minute when Spurs substitute Fernando Llorente bundled in a Kieran Trippier corner to restore the London club's advantage through away goals. With officials unsure if the ball had bounced off the Spaniard's hand or rolled off his hip in the goalmouth scramble, VAR was called into action and the goal stood for Spurs -- a decision Guardiola questioned after the game. Then came the stoppage time video torture for the home support -- Aguero burst down the right flank and delivered a low cross for Sterling to slot home what would have been his hat-trick goal. The VAR call was correct and the Premier League champions were out -- to the delight of Pochettino and his players who celebrated wildly in front of the travelling Spurs support. "They deserve a lot of praise. I am so happy because the effort is massive from the squad who have lived with everything. If we have one thing to describe this team, we always keep the same spirit, ideas and philosophy and that is the most important thing," Pochettino said. Now the pair will meet again on Saturday at the same venue in the Premier League, with plenty at stake for both teams. It should be another classic but it is hard to see how it could be quite as engrossing as this one.

Champions League: Tottenham Hotspur stun Manchester City to go through in seven-goal thriller

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino fears the "spirit of football" is being changed by Video Assistant Referee (VAR) after his side fell victim to technology on Tuesday.

As it turned out the penalty awarded by VAR against Danny Rose for handball was missed by Sergio Aguero and Tottenham went on to earn a crucial 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at their new ground.

But that could not hide Pochettino's unease at a system that will be rolled out in the Premier League next season.

While a sliding Rose's arm did make contact with the ball as he attempted to block Raheem Sterling's shot, no City player appealed for a penalty - evidence in itself that the decision was the kind of marginal one that could be debated all night.

Pochettino himself said in the letter of the law it could possibly have been a penalty, but rules on what constitutes handball appear open to interpretation.

As it stands in the International Football Association Board (IFAB) rulebook, a player can be penalised for handball if their arms extend 'beyond a natural silhouette' - even if accidental.

Manchester United beat Paris St Germain thanks to a late VAR penalty this season after Diogo Dalot's shot struck Presnel Kimpembe on the arm and went over the crossbar - a decision Neymar branded a 'disgrace'.

Pochettino was more measured, perhaps as the penalty was saved by Hugo Lloris, but still raised concerns that there are too many grey areas in deciding on handball.

"There's a lot of work to do with VAR," he told reporters. "We know there are many decisions that no one knows if VAR is going to be used or not, to check or not.

"Maybe technically it was a penalty because it was handball, but we do not know the protocol. There are a lot of question marks and a lot of work to do.

"I think it's going to change the spirit of the game and I'm very worried about how it's going to work next season."

Tottenham fans chanted "VAR VAR" shortly after Aguero's penalty miss, when Harry Kane was challenged in the penalty area - a chant that might become a regular refrain at Premier League grounds next season.

Even when they celebrated Son Heung-min's 78th-minute winner there was an anxious moment when the validity of the goal was checked by VAR - briefly ruining the spontaneity of the moment, which is an integral part of football.

"It's going to be a tough summer to try to find the best way to work. Is it going to check everything?" Pochettino said.

"I don't know because today there were a lot of actions you could check. Next season, how is it going to work? Many things we need to try to make clear.

"The spirit and the direction of football is going to change. We are going to see a different sport, not the football we grew up watching, that's for sure."

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino fears the "spirit of football" is being changed by Video Assistant Referee (VAR) after his side fell victim to technology on Tuesday.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino fears the "spirit of football" is being changed by Video Assistant Referee (VAR) after his side fell victim to technology on Tuesday. As it turned out the penalty awarded by VAR against Danny Rose for handball was missed by Sergio Aguero and Tottenham went on to earn a crucial 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at their new ground. But that could not hide Pochettino's unease at a system that will be rolled out in the Premier League next season. While a sliding Rose's arm did make contact with the ball as he attempted to block Raheem Sterling's shot, no City player appealed for a penalty - evidence in itself that the decision was the kind of marginal one that could be debated all night. Pochettino himself said in the letter of the law it could possibly have been a penalty, but rules on what constitutes handball appear open to interpretation. As it stands in the International Football Association Board (IFAB) rulebook, a player can be penalised for handball if their arms extend 'beyond a natural silhouette' - even if accidental. Manchester United beat Paris St Germain thanks to a late VAR penalty this season after Diogo Dalot's shot struck Presnel Kimpembe on the arm and went over the crossbar - a decision Neymar branded a 'disgrace'. Pochettino was more measured, perhaps as the penalty was saved by Hugo Lloris, but still raised concerns that there are too many grey areas in deciding on handball. "There's a lot of work to do with VAR," he told reporters. "We know there are many decisions that no one knows if VAR is going to be used or not, to check or not. "Maybe technically it was a penalty because it was handball, but we do not know the protocol. There are a lot of question marks and a lot of work to do. "I think it's going to change the spirit of the game and I'm very worried about how it's going to work next season." Tottenham fans chanted "VAR VAR" shortly after Aguero's penalty miss, when Harry Kane was challenged in the penalty area - a chant that might become a regular refrain at Premier League grounds next season. Even when they celebrated Son Heung-min's 78th-minute winner there was an anxious moment when the validity of the goal was checked by VAR - briefly ruining the spontaneity of the moment, which is an integral part of football. "It's going to be a tough summer to try to find the best way to work. Is it going to check everything?" Pochettino said. "I don't know because today there were a lot of actions you could check. Next season, how is it going to work? Many things we need to try to make clear. "The spirit and the direction of football is going to change. We are going to see a different sport, not the football we grew up watching, that's for sure."

Tottenham's manager Mauricio Pochettino fears VAR will change 'spirit' of game

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he could not understand why Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology was not used at Swansea City after controversial decisions had aided his side's 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final win on Saturday.

City came back from two goals down at the Liberty Stadium to book a semi-final spot for the second time in three seasons and keep alive their hopes of an unprecedented 'quadruple' in English football.

&nbsp;Yet Championship side Swansea were left aggrieved at the awarding of two late goals to City which almost certainly would not have stood if VAR had been in operation.

First, with 12 minutes left, City were awarded a penalty even though Swansea felt Cameron Carter-Vickers had won the ball in the area rather than fouling Raheem Sterling.

Aguero's spot kick then went in via the post and goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt`s feet.

In the 88th minute, there was further controversy as Aguero was in an offside position when heading home the winner.&nbsp;

Yet there was no VAR to turn to for a review, with the English footballing authorities having ruled that only Cup matches at Premier League grounds would have the video technology available.

Guardiola, a keen supporter of VAR, does not agree with this policy.&nbsp;

"I'm sorry it was offside," Guardiola said. "I don't understand why VAR is not used in this competition at this stage. Hopefully, next season this won`t happen."

"The penalty was really lucky but you need it, especially when you're in four competitions."

Guardiola, though, was full of praise for the character of his side, who came from two goals down to win a game for the first time in all competitions since he took charge of the club.&nbsp;

"We spoke at halftime that we need one goal and after we score one goal, the rest will be easier," Guardiola added.&nbsp;

"After we scored the goal we created a lot, a lot of chances, but the spirit and persistence helped us to win the game."

Match-winner Aguero said City's chance of winning the Champions League, Premier League and the FA Cup, to go with their League Cup crown they clinched last month, was "always possible", but Guardiola again played down the possibility.

"Ask me at the end of April, then I will answer," Guardiola added. "I want to congratulate my staff and my team. This is the beginning of the stage. 
"I know for people, it will be a big failure if we do not win three or four titles, but being in a position to do it is a huge success for the club."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he could not understand why Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology was not used at Swansea City after controversial decisions had aided his side's 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final win on Saturday.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he could not understand why Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology was not used at Swansea City after controversial decisions had aided his side's 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final win on Saturday. City came back from two goals down at the Liberty Stadium to book a semi-final spot for the second time in three seasons and keep alive their hopes of an unprecedented 'quadruple' in English football. Yet Championship side Swansea were left aggrieved at the awarding of two late goals to City which almost certainly would not have stood if VAR had been in operation. First, with 12 minutes left, City were awarded a penalty even though Swansea felt Cameron Carter-Vickers had won the ball in the area rather than fouling Raheem Sterling. Aguero's spot kick then went in via the post and goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt`s feet. In the 88th minute, there was further controversy as Aguero was in an offside position when heading home the winner. Yet there was no VAR to turn to for a review, with the English footballing authorities having ruled that only Cup matches at Premier League grounds would have the video technology available. Guardiola, a keen supporter of VAR, does not agree with this policy. "I'm sorry it was offside," Guardiola said. "I don't understand why VAR is not used in this competition at this stage. Hopefully, next season this won`t happen." "The penalty was really lucky but you need it, especially when you're in four competitions." Guardiola, though, was full of praise for the character of his side, who came from two goals down to win a game for the first time in all competitions since he took charge of the club. "We spoke at halftime that we need one goal and after we score one goal, the rest will be easier," Guardiola added. "After we scored the goal we created a lot, a lot of chances, but the spirit and persistence helped us to win the game." Match-winner Aguero said City's chance of winning the Champions League, Premier League and the FA Cup, to go with their League Cup crown they clinched last month, was "always possible", but Guardiola again played down the possibility. "Ask me at the end of April, then I will answer," Guardiola added. "I want to congratulate my staff and my team. This is the beginning of the stage. "I know for people, it will be a big failure if we do not win three or four titles, but being in a position to do it is a huge success for the club."

Pep Guardiola baffled by lack of VAR in Man City's FA Cup win

Injured Paris St Germain striker Neymar lashed out at the video assistant referee (VAR) system on Wednesday, calling the late penalty decision that led to their elimination from the Champions League a "disgrace".

The French champions won 2-0 away at Manchester United in the first leg and although they were 2-1 down on the night they were going through on aggregate until the stoppage-time penalty award gave United a shock 3-1 win.

The spot-kick, awarded for handball against Presnel Kimpembe after the referee consulted the VAR, put the English club through on away goals.

The decision infuriated Neymar, who watched the match from the stands after returning a few hours earlier from partying at Rio de Janeiro's famous carnival.

"This is a disgrace!! And they put four guys there who don't understand football to look at a slow-motion replay ... It's just not possible!!!"

"How is a guy going to hold his hand behind his back," he wrote in Portuguese on Instagram, before finishing with an expletive commonly used in Brazil.

Neymar missed both legs of the tie after injuring his foot in January.

PSG manager Thomas Tuchel said he understood Neymar's anger at the decision and defended his comments, saying they were made in the heat of the moment.

"Of course it's a strong reaction, he was at the field. Sometimes when you remember yourself in a big fight and you remember being very emotional, you use words and you react in a way that you take back some hours later," Tuchel told reporters.

"He wanted to come back with us in the quarter-finals and he's been biting his nails at every game we've played without him, so don't be too harsh on him.

"I wouldn't over-interpret the use of his words. In the heat of the moment, it's quickly typed into a smartphone."

The Brazil captain joined the French club from Barcelona in August 2017 for a world record fee and the Champions League has become the holy grail for him and a club that have spent big to fulfil that goal.

However, this latest defeat marked the third time in three years they have failed to make the last eight of the Champions League.

Even though Wednesday's loss was just their third in 51 European games at the Parc des Princes, they have never reached the semi-finals of the continent's premier club competition since being taken over by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011.

Injured Paris St Germain striker Neymar lashed out at the video assistant referee (VAR) system on Wednesday, calling the late penalty decision that led to their elimination from the Champions League a "disgrace".

Injured Paris St Germain striker Neymar lashed out at the video assistant referee (VAR) system on Wednesday, calling the late penalty decision that led to their elimination from the Champions League a "disgrace". The French champions won 2-0 away at Manchester United in the first leg and although they were 2-1 down on the night they were going through on aggregate until the stoppage-time penalty award gave United a shock 3-1 win. The spot-kick, awarded for handball against Presnel Kimpembe after the referee consulted the VAR, put the English club through on away goals. The decision infuriated Neymar, who watched the match from the stands after returning a few hours earlier from partying at Rio de Janeiro's famous carnival. "This is a disgrace!! And they put four guys there who don't understand football to look at a slow-motion replay ... It's just not possible!!!" "How is a guy going to hold his hand behind his back," he wrote in Portuguese on Instagram, before finishing with an expletive commonly used in Brazil. Neymar missed both legs of the tie after injuring his foot in January. PSG manager Thomas Tuchel said he understood Neymar's anger at the decision and defended his comments, saying they were made in the heat of the moment. "Of course it's a strong reaction, he was at the field. Sometimes when you remember yourself in a big fight and you remember being very emotional, you use words and you react in a way that you take back some hours later," Tuchel told reporters. "He wanted to come back with us in the quarter-finals and he's been biting his nails at every game we've played without him, so don't be too harsh on him. "I wouldn't over-interpret the use of his words. In the heat of the moment, it's quickly typed into a smartphone." The Brazil captain joined the French club from Barcelona in August 2017 for a world record fee and the Champions League has become the holy grail for him and a club that have spent big to fulfil that goal. However, this latest defeat marked the third time in three years they have failed to make the last eight of the Champions League. Even though Wednesday's loss was just their third in 51 European games at the Parc des Princes, they have never reached the semi-finals of the continent's premier club competition since being taken over by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011.

Neymar lashes out at VAR after PSG's Champions League loss

FIFA has recommended the use of video assistant referee (VAR) technology for the 2019 Women's World Cup in France this year.

The organising committee of world soccer's governing body met on Monday and backed the use of VAR at the tournament after it was introduced at the men's World Cup last year in Russia.

The FIFA council will make a final decision on whether the technology will be used at this year's women's event, which runs from June 7-July 7, when it meets in Miami later this month.

"I can’t see them not having (VAR), I think it would be a little bit insulting if we weren't afforded the same opportunity (as the men)," U.S. coach Jill Ellis said in July.

The technology, which is operating in most of the leading European soccer leagues, has been used in the Champions League knockout stage for the first time this season.

The English Premier League plans to use VAR next season.

FIFA has recommended the use of video assistant referee (VAR) technology for the 2019 Women's World Cup in France this year. The organising committee of world soccer's governing body met on Monday and backed the use of VAR at the tournament after it was introduced at the men's World Cup last year in Russia.

FIFA has recommended the use of video assistant referee (VAR) technology for the 2019 Women's World Cup in France this year. The organising committee of world soccer's governing body met on Monday and backed the use of VAR at the tournament after it was introduced at the men's World Cup last year in Russia. The FIFA council will make a final decision on whether the technology will be used at this year's women's event, which runs from June 7-July 7, when it meets in Miami later this month. "I can’t see them not having (VAR), I think it would be a little bit insulting if we weren't afforded the same opportunity (as the men)," U.S. coach Jill Ellis said in July. The technology, which is operating in most of the leading European soccer leagues, has been used in the Champions League knockout stage for the first time this season. The English Premier League plans to use VAR next season.

FIFA recommends use of VAR at 2019 Women's World Cup

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale came off the bench and coolly converted a controversial penalty to secure a 2-1 win at Levante in La Liga on Sunday as the European champions rode their luck to stay within nine points of leaders Barcelona.

Real came under heavy pressure early on but Karim Benzema gave them the lead towards the end of the first half from the spot after a penalty was correctly awarded for handball by Enis Bardhi following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.

Levante, who pulled off a shock 2-1 win over Real at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this season, deservedly drew level on the hour mark with a sliding finish from Roger Marti, who had struck the woodwork twice before the interval.

Real, who lost 2-1 at home to Girona in their last outing, struggled to impose themselves and Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr was again their stand-out performer as more experienced players like Toni Kroos and Luka Modric gave sluggish displays.

Real were then awarded a hotly-contested penalty following another VAR review when Casemiro went down theatrically after light contact from Levante substitute Cheick Doukoure.

Wales forward Bale, who had only replaced Benzema minutes earlier, deceived Levante keeper Aitor Fernandez with an ice-cool finish from the spot but barely celebrated the goal, brushing away teammates who tried to congratulate him.

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FINAL <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LevanteRealMadrid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LevanteRealMadrid</a> 1-2 
 
¡Victoria del Real Madrid en <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LaLigaSantander?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LaLigaSantander</a> con goles de Benzema y Bale! 💜 <a href="https://t.co/sURoToptud">pic.twitter.com/sURoToptud</a>
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Real are third in the standings on 48 points, two behind Atletico Madrid who beat Villarreal 2-0 earlier on Sunday and still adrift of Barca, who won 4-2 at Sevilla on Saturday.

Real had defender Nacho Fernandez sent off for a second booking late in the game, although the Spaniard's first yellow card meant he had already been ruled out of next Saturday's 'Clasico' at home to Barcelona in the league.

Real also meet Barca in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday with the tie level at 1-1.

Levante's Ruben Rochina, meanwhile, received a second yellow card for venting his fury at the officials from the sidelines after being replaced by Doukoure, having earlier been booked while he was on the pitch.

"It was a very difficult game, they played a block of five players in midfield and it was very hard for us to create chances, but we took advantage of the opportunities we got and fortunately they did not," said Real defender Dani Carvajal.

Carvajal also defended the second penalty Madrid were awarded, which had sparked furious protests from Levante's players and coaching staff.

"I was 25 metres away and I could hear the kick, I'm not a referee and they have a tough job and if the referee gives a penalty and the VAR ratifies it then it must be a penalty," he said.

But Levante president Quico Catalan was bemused by the decision, saying: "The more replays I see the less I understand it. I've seen it 37 times and it seems very, very harsh to me".

"If Doukoure had really hit Casemiro he'd have had to be taken off in an ambulance, and it surprises me even more that this penalty was awarded due to VAR."

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale came off the bench and coolly converted a controversial penalty to secure a 2-1 win at Levante in La Liga on Sunday as the European champions rode their luck to stay within nine points of leaders Barcelona.

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale came off the bench and coolly converted a controversial penalty to secure a 2-1 win at Levante in La Liga on Sunday as the European champions rode their luck to stay within nine points of leaders Barcelona. Real came under heavy pressure early on but Karim Benzema gave them the lead towards the end of the first half from the spot after a penalty was correctly awarded for handball by Enis Bardhi following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Levante, who pulled off a shock 2-1 win over Real at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this season, deservedly drew level on the hour mark with a sliding finish from Roger Marti, who had struck the woodwork twice before the interval. Real, who lost 2-1 at home to Girona in their last outing, struggled to impose themselves and Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr was again their stand-out performer as more experienced players like Toni Kroos and Luka Modric gave sluggish displays. Real were then awarded a hotly-contested penalty following another VAR review when Casemiro went down theatrically after light contact from Levante substitute Cheick Doukoure. Wales forward Bale, who had only replaced Benzema minutes earlier, deceived Levante keeper Aitor Fernandez with an ice-cool finish from the spot but barely celebrated the goal, brushing away teammates who tried to congratulate him. FINAL #LevanteRealMadrid 1-2 ¡Victoria del Real Madrid en #LaLigaSantander con goles de Benzema y Bale! 💜 pic.twitter.com/sURoToptud — LaLiga (@LaLiga) February 24, 2019 × Real are third in the standings on 48 points, two behind Atletico Madrid who beat Villarreal 2-0 earlier on Sunday and still adrift of Barca, who won 4-2 at Sevilla on Saturday. Real had defender Nacho Fernandez sent off for a second booking late in the game, although the Spaniard's first yellow card meant he had already been ruled out of next Saturday's 'Clasico' at home to Barcelona in the league. Real also meet Barca in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday with the tie level at 1-1. Levante's Ruben Rochina, meanwhile, received a second yellow card for venting his fury at the officials from the sidelines after being replaced by Doukoure, having earlier been booked while he was on the pitch. "It was a very difficult game, they played a block of five players in midfield and it was very hard for us to create chances, but we took advantage of the opportunities we got and fortunately they did not," said Real defender Dani Carvajal. Carvajal also defended the second penalty Madrid were awarded, which had sparked furious protests from Levante's players and coaching staff. "I was 25 metres away and I could hear the kick, I'm not a referee and they have a tough job and if the referee gives a penalty and the VAR ratifies it then it must be a penalty," he said. But Levante president Quico Catalan was bemused by the decision, saying: "The more replays I see the less I understand it. I've seen it 37 times and it seems very, very harsh to me". "If Doukoure had really hit Casemiro he'd have had to be taken off in an ambulance, and it surprises me even more that this penalty was awarded due to VAR."

Gareth Bale penalty gives Real Madrid win in latest VAR controversy

The video assistant referee (VAR) is due to make its UEFA Champions League debut on Tuesday (February 12) as the knock-out stages of the competition get going.

European soccer's governing body previously opted against using VAR this season, despite the technology being employed by major European leagues in Spain, Italy and Germany, and by FIFA at the World Cup in Russia.

But UEFA, led by Aleksander Ceferin, revised it stance in late 2018 and agreed to roll out the technology in this season's knock-out stages of the Champions League, the Europa League final and this summer's Nations League competition.

The Champions League returns this week with Real Madrid visiting Ajax, Tottenham facing off with Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United playing Paris St. Germain and last season's semi-finalists Roma taking on Porto.

The video assistant referee (VAR) is due to make its UEFA Champions League debut on Tuesday (February 12) as the knock-out stages of the competition get going. European soccer's governing body previously opted against using VAR this season, despite the technology being employed by major European leagues in Spain, Italy and Germany, and by FIFA at the World Cup in Russia.

The video assistant referee (VAR) is due to make its UEFA Champions League debut on Tuesday (February 12) as the knock-out stages of the competition get going. European soccer's governing body previously opted against using VAR this season, despite the technology being employed by major European leagues in Spain, Italy and Germany, and by FIFA at the World Cup in Russia. But UEFA, led by Aleksander Ceferin, revised it stance in late 2018 and agreed to roll out the technology in this season's knock-out stages of the Champions League, the Europa League final and this summer's Nations League competition. The Champions League returns this week with Real Madrid visiting Ajax, Tottenham facing off with Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United playing Paris St. Germain and last season's semi-finalists Roma taking on Porto.

VAR gets ready for Champions League debut

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery expressed regret about the penalty decisions that went against his side during the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-thrash-arsenal-5-1-to-widen-lead-in-premier-league-187262">1-5 defeat against Liverpool</a> at Anfield on Saturday.

However, he believes that his squad can learn from the "bad experience" the defeat provided.

Emery calls for video assistant referee (VAR) after Arsenal concede two penalties against the Reds.

While addressing the media, Emery said, "The two last goals, two penalties - I think it's a lot for us. I think VAR is important when it comes here next year.

"Not just to do justice but I think it's also going to help the referees to take further their decision."

Liverpool conceded an early goal but failed to build on the momentum as Roberto Firmino produced a hat trick to power Liverpool to a ninth straight Premier League triumph.&nbsp;

"After our goal, I think we started well. At the beginning we are good positioning, but after our goal they push it and when they push it here, they play with great determination and they have players to make the difference in all the pitch, but especially in our box.&nbsp;

Emery added, "They scored two, three quick goals and it's a difficult moment for us but we spoke in the dressing room, it's another experience for us. Bad experience, to learn."

With 38 points, Arsenal remain secure in fifth place for the moment despite losing their fourth match in a row.

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery expressed regret about the penalty decisions that went against his side during the 1-5 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery expressed regret about the penalty decisions that went against his side during the 1-5 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday. However, he believes that his squad can learn from the "bad experience" the defeat provided. Emery calls for video assistant referee (VAR) after Arsenal concede two penalties against the Reds. While addressing the media, Emery said, "The two last goals, two penalties - I think it's a lot for us. I think VAR is important when it comes here next year. "Not just to do justice but I think it's also going to help the referees to take further their decision." Liverpool conceded an early goal but failed to build on the momentum as Roberto Firmino produced a hat trick to power Liverpool to a ninth straight Premier League triumph. "After our goal, I think we started well. At the beginning we are good positioning, but after our goal they push it and when they push it here, they play with great determination and they have players to make the difference in all the pitch, but especially in our box. Emery added, "They scored two, three quick goals and it's a difficult moment for us but we spoke in the dressing room, it's another experience for us. Bad experience, to learn." With 38 points, Arsenal remain secure in fifth place for the moment despite losing their fourth match in a row.

Arsenal coach Unai Emery calls for VAR after conceding two penalties at Liverpool

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace, the second goal a contentious penalty, to give Juventus a dramatic 2-1 win over Sampdoria who had a stoppage-time equaliser chalked off following a long VAR review in Serie A on Saturday.

Riccardo Saponara thought he had given Sampdoria a point when he curled a delightful shot past Mattia Perin and was booked for throwing off his shirt as he celebrated.

But, after a delay of nearly three minutes, referee Paolo Valeri ruled that there had been an offside in the buildup.

It was one of three VAR decisions in a game which also saw Sampdoria's 35-year-old forward Fabio Quagliarella score for the ninth Serie A game in a row, making him the first player to do so since David Trezeguet in 2005.

Leaders Juve reached the season's halfway mark with 53 points out of a possible 57, a Serie A record for a 20-team championship.

Sampdoria coach Marco Giampaolo described Juve's penalty, awarded for handball by Alex Ferrari, as absurd.

"The penalty given to Juventus was a present," he said. "We can talk about this until the day after tomorrow but you can't give a penalty like that, otherwise every Sunday will turn into a mess; that handball decision was absurd."

Ronaldo gave Juventus the lead after two minutes, collecting Paulo Dybala's pass and cutting inside to score with a low shot.

Former Juventus forward Quagliarella levelled in the 33rd minute from a penalty awarded after the ball hit the back of Emre Can's outstretched arm as he jumped for it.

The referee gave the penalty after looking at the incident on the pitchside monitor.

Juve's winner also came for a handball although the ball only brushed Ferrari's arm which did not appear to be outstretched.

The referee immediately pointed to the spot but Ronaldo had to wait more than two minutes to take his kick while the incident was reviewed on the pitchside monitor.

The Portugal forward took his tally to 14 goals, making him Serie A's top scorer.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said he believed his side needed 37 more points from their remaining 19 games to make sure of an eighth successive title.

"VAR is an important instrument," he said. "There were two penalties, both awarded with the use of VAR; one confirmed and one under a review. Looking at it that way, it was either both or neither. In Italy, we create too many controversies."

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace, the second goal a contentious penalty, to give Juventus a dramatic 2-1 win over Sampdoria who had a stoppage-time equaliser chalked off following a long VAR review in Serie A on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace, the second goal a contentious penalty, to give Juventus a dramatic 2-1 win over Sampdoria who had a stoppage-time equaliser chalked off following a long VAR review in Serie A on Saturday. Riccardo Saponara thought he had given Sampdoria a point when he curled a delightful shot past Mattia Perin and was booked for throwing off his shirt as he celebrated. But, after a delay of nearly three minutes, referee Paolo Valeri ruled that there had been an offside in the buildup. It was one of three VAR decisions in a game which also saw Sampdoria's 35-year-old forward Fabio Quagliarella score for the ninth Serie A game in a row, making him the first player to do so since David Trezeguet in 2005. Leaders Juve reached the season's halfway mark with 53 points out of a possible 57, a Serie A record for a 20-team championship. Sampdoria coach Marco Giampaolo described Juve's penalty, awarded for handball by Alex Ferrari, as absurd. "The penalty given to Juventus was a present," he said. "We can talk about this until the day after tomorrow but you can't give a penalty like that, otherwise every Sunday will turn into a mess; that handball decision was absurd." Ronaldo gave Juventus the lead after two minutes, collecting Paulo Dybala's pass and cutting inside to score with a low shot. Former Juventus forward Quagliarella levelled in the 33rd minute from a penalty awarded after the ball hit the back of Emre Can's outstretched arm as he jumped for it. The referee gave the penalty after looking at the incident on the pitchside monitor. Juve's winner also came for a handball although the ball only brushed Ferrari's arm which did not appear to be outstretched. The referee immediately pointed to the spot but Ronaldo had to wait more than two minutes to take his kick while the incident was reviewed on the pitchside monitor. The Portugal forward took his tally to 14 goals, making him Serie A's top scorer. Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said he believed his side needed 37 more points from their remaining 19 games to make sure of an eighth successive title. "VAR is an important instrument," he said. "There were two penalties, both awarded with the use of VAR; one confirmed and one under a review. Looking at it that way, it was either both or neither. In Italy, we create too many controversies."

Cristiano Ronaldo brace gives Juve contentious win over unlucky Sampdoria

Time lost due to the use of the Video Assistant Referee will be added to stoppage time in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the head of FIFA's refereeing department announced Tuesday. 
 
Massimo Busacca made his remarks at a media briefing at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, just two days ahead of the first World Cup to employ VAR, a decision that has polarized opinion in the soccer world. 
 
"Every second lost by using the VAR is going to be added at the end of the match," Busacca stressed. 
 
Busacca was joined by the president of the UEFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, as well as referees Sandro Ricci of Brazil and Ravshan Irmatov of Uzbekistan. 
 
FIFA's referee chief gave assurances that above all, VAR has a preventive task, as any and all unsportsmanlike behavior that is detected will not go unpunished. 
 
Busacca added that VAR is another tool for refereeing, in which the human element also has an influence. 
 
For his part, Collina said the aim of using VAR was about achieving fair results, and confirmed that the public, in stadiums, will be able to see the VAR decisions. 
 
The 2018 World Cup kicks off Thursday with the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia, and will be refereed by Argentina's Nestor Pitana.

Time lost due to the use of the Video Assistant Referee will be added to stoppage time in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia

Time lost due to the use of the Video Assistant Referee will be added to stoppage time in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the head of FIFA's refereeing department announced Tuesday. Massimo Busacca made his remarks at a media briefing at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, just two days ahead of the first World Cup to employ VAR, a decision that has polarized opinion in the soccer world. "Every second lost by using the VAR is going to be added at the end of the match," Busacca stressed. Busacca was joined by the president of the UEFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, as well as referees Sandro Ricci of Brazil and Ravshan Irmatov of Uzbekistan. FIFA's referee chief gave assurances that above all, VAR has a preventive task, as any and all unsportsmanlike behavior that is detected will not go unpunished. Busacca added that VAR is another tool for refereeing, in which the human element also has an influence. For his part, Collina said the aim of using VAR was about achieving fair results, and confirmed that the public, in stadiums, will be able to see the VAR decisions. The 2018 World Cup kicks off Thursday with the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia, and will be refereed by Argentina's Nestor Pitana.

FIFA World Cup 2018: Time lost due to VAR will be added to stoppage time, FIFA says

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology has been implemented in the Football World Cup 2018 and it has become the major talking point for the event which will kick-off from June 14. The introduction of technology is considered as the game-changing by FIFA.

In October 2017, FIFA head Gianni Infantino said: "We can't imagine a World Cup in 2018 being decided by a referee's error."

The process of VAR will work on two ways, the referee will request a review after making a decision or the VAR team can recommend reviewing a particular decision.

VAR operates on a three-step process of the incident, review/advice, decision.&nbsp;

The referee can immediately overturn the call based on the VAR's advice, review the incident themselves on a monitor on the touchline or stick with their initial decision.

VAR will look to ensure that the correct decision was made regarding the award or non-award of a penalty, a goal, penalty decisions, after a straight red card or in cases of mistaken identity.

"If there is something away from the action that has been missed and it later comes to the attention of the VAR or the assistant VAR, then they can inform the referee and he can send the player off, even if it is later in the match," IFAB technical director David Elleray told The Times.

"We do not anticipate this happening very often... this would only be for serious red-card offences."

The VAR system will be rolled out for the first time at a World Cup at the June 14 to July 15 tournament in Russia.

VAR can only be used when there is doubt surrounding any of four key game-changing situations: After a goal, penalty decisions, after a straight red card or in cases of mistaken identity

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology has been implemented in the Football World Cup 2018 and it has become the major talking point for the event which will kick-off from June 14. The introduction of technology is considered as the game-changing by FIFA. In October 2017, FIFA head Gianni Infantino said: "We can't imagine a World Cup in 2018 being decided by a referee's error." The process of VAR will work on two ways, the referee will request a review after making a decision or the VAR team can recommend reviewing a particular decision. VAR operates on a three-step process of the incident, review/advice, decision. The referee can immediately overturn the call based on the VAR's advice, review the incident themselves on a monitor on the touchline or stick with their initial decision. VAR will look to ensure that the correct decision was made regarding the award or non-award of a penalty, a goal, penalty decisions, after a straight red card or in cases of mistaken identity. "If there is something away from the action that has been missed and it later comes to the attention of the VAR or the assistant VAR, then they can inform the referee and he can send the player off, even if it is later in the match," IFAB technical director David Elleray told The Times. "We do not anticipate this happening very often... this would only be for serious red-card offences." The VAR system will be rolled out for the first time at a World Cup at the June 14 to July 15 tournament in Russia.

Video Assistant Referee is a blessing for FIFA World Cup 2018

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has expressed concern over the decision to employ the video replay system (VAR) at the 2018 World Cup, saying the technology still needed more testing before it can be considered for use in the Champions League.

Global&nbspsoccer&nbspbody FIFA voted in March to deploy VAR at the June-July tournament in Russia, only two weeks after its use was approved by IFAB, the organisation responsible for rule changes in the sport.

"I have some fear for the World Cup, where we will have referees who have never officiated with the VAR," Ceferin told Italian paper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview.

"I hope there are no scandals or problems."

Ceferin has already said that VAR would not be used in the Champions League next season.

"The Champions League is like a Ferrari or a Porsche: you cannot drive it right away, you need training, offline testing. And everyone has to understand how it works," he said.

"It's too early for VAR. That doesn't mean we will never have it as the process is inevitable... We'll have it one day in the Champions League but there's no rush."

VAR is already being used in Serie A, the Bundesliga and Portugal's Primeira Liga this season, among others. IFAB insists it has reduced refereeing mistakes but critics say there has been confusion in a number of matches.

Goals have been annulled several minutes after being scored -- with the teams waiting to restart -- and penalties revoked with the ball on the spot.

Another criticism is that the spectators are not kept informed of what is happening when a decision is reviewed.

Ceferin said that VAR would not have made any difference in last week's Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Juventus, where a soft stoppage-time penalty led to the Spanish side advancing 4-3 on aggregate. "What would have changed with VAR? Nothing. There are those who have watched it 20 times, I've watched it 50, but for half the people it's a penalty and for the other half, it isn't."

&nbsp

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has expressed concern over the decision to employ the video replay system (VAR) at the 2018 World Cup

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has expressed concern over the decision to employ the video replay system (VAR) at the 2018 World Cup, saying the technology still needed more testing before it can be considered for use in the Champions League. Global&nbspsoccer&nbspbody FIFA voted in March to deploy VAR at the June-July tournament in Russia, only two weeks after its use was approved by IFAB, the organisation responsible for rule changes in the sport. "I have some fear for the World Cup, where we will have referees who have never officiated with the VAR," Ceferin told Italian paper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview. "I hope there are no scandals or problems." Ceferin has already said that VAR would not be used in the Champions League next season. "The Champions League is like a Ferrari or a Porsche: you cannot drive it right away, you need training, offline testing. And everyone has to understand how it works," he said. "It's too early for VAR. That doesn't mean we will never have it as the process is inevitable... We'll have it one day in the Champions League but there's no rush." VAR is already being used in Serie A, the Bundesliga and Portugal's Primeira Liga this season, among others. IFAB insists it has reduced refereeing mistakes but critics say there has been confusion in a number of matches. Goals have been annulled several minutes after being scored -- with the teams waiting to restart -- and penalties revoked with the ball on the spot. Another criticism is that the spectators are not kept informed of what is happening when a decision is reviewed. Ceferin said that VAR would not have made any difference in last week's Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Juventus, where a soft stoppage-time penalty led to the Spanish side advancing 4-3 on aggregate. "What would have changed with VAR? Nothing. There are those who have watched it 20 times, I've watched it 50, but for half the people it's a penalty and for the other half, it isn't."

UEFA president 'worried' over use of VAR at World Cup

England striker Jamie Vardy believes the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) leaves players and fans with little idea of "what is going on" just three months before the system is to be used at the World Cup.

Vardy's first-half strike had England on course for another fine World Cup warm-up friendly result against four-time world champions Italy on Tuesday, until the visitors were awarded a penalty three minutes from time on video review.

German referee Deniz Aytekin overturned his original decision not to point to the spot when Federico Chiesa tumbled under the challenge of debutant James Tarkowski.

Aytekin came to the side of the pitch to review the decision himself and took less than two minutes to change his mind before Lorenzo Insigne dispatched the spot-kick to earn a 1-1 draw for the visitors.

However, Vardy believes the process still needs to be improved for those inside the stadium.

"They say they are using it at the World Cup so we have used it tonight," said Vardy. "Most of it is down to players and supporters not knowing what is going on.

"It is okay to come up and say VAR is in use but no-one knows what it is going on. It is obviously taking time as well, there were five minutes added on."

England manager Gareth Southgate complained Aytekin's initial decision wasn't a case of a "clear and obvious" error.

According to the rules regarding VAR, only clear and obvious mistakes should be reviewed.

And Southgate also called for better communication with fans inside the stadium, claiming those watching at home are currently more informed than the paying public.

"A better way of communicating with fans in the ground (is needed)," said Southgate.

"That was a little better tonight because at least they knew something was going on, but I think ideally in other sports there is a clearer communication with those in the stadium.

"When those at home have a better idea of what is going on than those in the stadium, I'm not sure that's the right thing."

England striker Jamie Vardy believes the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) leaves players and fans with little idea of "what is going on"

England striker Jamie Vardy believes the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) leaves players and fans with little idea of "what is going on" just three months before the system is to be used at the World Cup. Vardy's first-half strike had England on course for another fine World Cup warm-up friendly result against four-time world champions Italy on Tuesday, until the visitors were awarded a penalty three minutes from time on video review. German referee Deniz Aytekin overturned his original decision not to point to the spot when Federico Chiesa tumbled under the challenge of debutant James Tarkowski. Aytekin came to the side of the pitch to review the decision himself and took less than two minutes to change his mind before Lorenzo Insigne dispatched the spot-kick to earn a 1-1 draw for the visitors. However, Vardy believes the process still needs to be improved for those inside the stadium. "They say they are using it at the World Cup so we have used it tonight," said Vardy. "Most of it is down to players and supporters not knowing what is going on. "It is okay to come up and say VAR is in use but no-one knows what it is going on. It is obviously taking time as well, there were five minutes added on." England manager Gareth Southgate complained Aytekin's initial decision wasn't a case of a "clear and obvious" error. According to the rules regarding VAR, only clear and obvious mistakes should be reviewed. And Southgate also called for better communication with fans inside the stadium, claiming those watching at home are currently more informed than the paying public. "A better way of communicating with fans in the ground (is needed)," said Southgate. "That was a little better tonight because at least they knew something was going on, but I think ideally in other sports there is a clearer communication with those in the stadium. "When those at home have a better idea of what is going on than those in the stadium, I'm not sure that's the right thing."

Video Assistant Referee confuses players and fans: Jamie Vardy

FIFA are expected to rubber-stamp video assistant referee technology (VAR) for this summer&#39;s World Cup despite lingering opposition from within and outside football.

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, will oversee the governing body&#39;s meeting in Bogota happy to give the green light to the system despite a long, personal spell of scepticism.

&quot;VAR is something positive that will bring much more to the transparency of football,&quot; said Infantino ahead of the FIFA Council meeting starting Friday.

&quot;Video refereeing isn&#39;t going to be the solution to everything in football. What we want to do is avoid resounding mistakes by referees.&quot;

At the World Cup in Russia from June 14-July 15, VAR will be used to judge whether or not a goal has been scored, analyse whether a penalty should be awarded, decide on red cards and rectify if a player has been mistakenly sanctioned.

The game&#39;s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), had decided two weeks ago at its meeting in Zurich to support VAR at the World Cup.

VAR has been trialled since 2016 by around 20 federations including the German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A.

But it has not been universally welcomed with even UEFA, the European governing body, still to be convinced.

&quot;Nobody knows exactly how VAR will work. There is already a lot of confusion,&quot; said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin who insists that VAR will not be used in next season&#39;s Champions League.

&quot;I am not at all against it but we must better explain when it will be used. We will see at the World Cup.&quot;

One of the problems that dogs VAR, say its critics, is not the accuracy of its decisions but the time it takes to arrive at them.

It&#39;s a drawback which has left many fans and purists frustrated that the flow of a game is interrupted.

&quot;The intervention of VAR takes one minute on average in each game. If we lose a minute to correct mistakes, I think we have done something good,&quot; said Infantino.

However, Colombia coach Luis Fernando Suarez added in an interview with AFP: &quot;It seems hurried to me. I think we should do other trials in other tournaments, analyse them well, and then put it in place.&quot;&nbsp;

Suarez, who led Ecuador at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and Honduras in 2014 in Brazil, remains a fan in general of the use of technology in football, which he has witnessed close up.

That came in the 2014 tournament when his Honduras team played France in Porto Alegre when the first goal decided through GLT (goal-line technology) was awarded to France.

&quot;It&#39;s good and necessary that there are changes but it&#39;s essential that we don&#39;t lose the essence of football,&quot; added Suarez.

Elsewhere at the FIFA Council meeting, discussions will be held on the presentation of the two dossiers for hosting the 2026 World Cup where Morocco is battling against a joint USA-Canada-Mexico bid.

Host countries for the 2019 Under-17 and Under-20 world championships will also be decided.

&nbsp;

FIFA are expected to rubber-stamp video assistant referee technology (VAR) for this summer's World Cup despite lingering opposition from within and outside football

FIFA are expected to rubber-stamp video assistant referee technology (VAR) for this summer's World Cup despite lingering opposition from within and outside football. Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, will oversee the governing body's meeting in Bogota happy to give the green light to the system despite a long, personal spell of scepticism. "VAR is something positive that will bring much more to the transparency of football," said Infantino ahead of the FIFA Council meeting starting Friday. "Video refereeing isn't going to be the solution to everything in football. What we want to do is avoid resounding mistakes by referees." At the World Cup in Russia from June 14-July 15, VAR will be used to judge whether or not a goal has been scored, analyse whether a penalty should be awarded, decide on red cards and rectify if a player has been mistakenly sanctioned. The game's lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), had decided two weeks ago at its meeting in Zurich to support VAR at the World Cup. VAR has been trialled since 2016 by around 20 federations including the German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A. But it has not been universally welcomed with even UEFA, the European governing body, still to be convinced. "Nobody knows exactly how VAR will work. There is already a lot of confusion," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin who insists that VAR will not be used in next season's Champions League. "I am not at all against it but we must better explain when it will be used. We will see at the World Cup." One of the problems that dogs VAR, say its critics, is not the accuracy of its decisions but the time it takes to arrive at them. It's a drawback which has left many fans and purists frustrated that the flow of a game is interrupted. "The intervention of VAR takes one minute on average in each game. If we lose a minute to correct mistakes, I think we have done something good," said Infantino. However, Colombia coach Luis Fernando Suarez added in an interview with AFP: "It seems hurried to me. I think we should do other trials in other tournaments, analyse them well, and then put it in place." Suarez, who led Ecuador at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and Honduras in 2014 in Brazil, remains a fan in general of the use of technology in football, which he has witnessed close up. That came in the 2014 tournament when his Honduras team played France in Porto Alegre when the first goal decided through GLT (goal-line technology) was awarded to France. "It's good and necessary that there are changes but it's essential that we don't lose the essence of football," added Suarez. Elsewhere at the FIFA Council meeting, discussions will be held on the presentation of the two dossiers for hosting the 2026 World Cup where Morocco is battling against a joint USA-Canada-Mexico bid. Host countries for the 2019 Under-17 and Under-20 world championships will also be decided.

FIFA to give VAR green light at World Cup

Football&#39;s law-making body on Saturday was set to approve the use of video assistant referee technology (VAR) at this summer&#39;s World Cup, overriding purists concerned about technology disrupting the game.&nbsp;

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting in Zurich is widely expected to rubber-stamp the move already backed by FIFA&#39;s top brass, including president Gianni Infantino.&nbsp;

VAR can only be used when there is doubt surrounding any of four key game-changing situations: After a goal, penalty decisions, after a straight red card or in cases of mistaken identity.

It has already been implemented in top European leagues including the German Bundesliga and Italy&#39;s Serie A -- along with tests in multiple other leagues -- but opinion is still divided.&nbsp;

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said this week that European football&#39;s governing body would not introduce VAR in next season&#39;s Champions League due to ongoing &quot;confusion&quot; surrounding its use.

Others have voiced concern about video assistance being used too often, slowing down the game and possibly breaking a team&#39;s momentum.&nbsp;

That is an issue confronting major North American sports&nbsp;like baseball and American football, where different forms of video replay have been in use for several years and where calls to shorten match length have risen. &nbsp;

Access to information

But the desire to avoid ferociously disputed calls -- especially in high-profile moments -- appears to have tipped FIFA to support using VAR at this summer&#39;s World Cup in Russia.&nbsp;

One iconic example that VAR could theoretically have prevented is Diego Maradona&#39;s &quot;Hand of God&quot; goal that saw Argentina beat England in the 1986 World Cup.&nbsp;

For Infantino, who will be on hand Saturday for the IFAB announcement, international football cannot allow anyone with a smart-phone having access to better information than a World Cup referee.&nbsp;

&quot;In 2018 we cannot anymore afford that everyone in the stadium and everyone in front of a TV screen can see within a few minutes on his phone whether the referee has made a big mistake or not, and the only one who cannot see it is the referee&quot;, he said last month. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;So if we can help the referee then we should do it,&quot; he added.

Representatives of the 32 teams that have qualified for the World Cup meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi this week voiced confidence that the expected VAR rollout would be a positive for the tournament.&nbsp;

&quot;This is the new life. This is modern life,&quot; said Iran head coach Carlos Queiroz.

&quot;It is obvious that football cannot go on with its eyes closed to the modern world.&quot;

&nbsp;

Football's law-making body on Saturday was set to approve the use of video assistant referee technology (VAR) at this summer's World Cup, overriding purists concerned about technology disrupting the game. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting in Zurich is widely expected to rubber-stamp the move already backed by FIFA's top brass, including president Gianni Infantino. VAR can only be used when there is doubt surrounding any of four key game-changing situations: After a goal, penalty decisions, after a straight red card or in cases of mistaken identity. It has already been implemented in top European leagues including the German Bundesliga and Italy's Serie A -- along with tests in multiple other leagues -- but opinion is still divided. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said this week that European football's governing body would not introduce VAR in next season's Champions League due to ongoing "confusion" surrounding its use. Others have voiced concern about video assistance being used too often, slowing down the game and possibly breaking a team's momentum. That is an issue confronting major North American sports like baseball and American football, where different forms of video replay have been in use for several years and where calls to shorten match length have risen. Access to information But the desire to avoid ferociously disputed calls -- especially in high-profile moments -- appears to have tipped FIFA to support using VAR at this summer's World Cup in Russia. One iconic example that VAR could theoretically have prevented is Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal that saw Argentina beat England in the 1986 World Cup. For Infantino, who will be on hand Saturday for the IFAB announcement, international football cannot allow anyone with a smart-phone having access to better information than a World Cup referee. "In 2018 we cannot anymore afford that everyone in the stadium and everyone in front of a TV screen can see within a few minutes on his phone whether the referee has made a big mistake or not, and the only one who cannot see it is the referee", he said last month. "So if we can help the referee then we should do it," he added. Representatives of the 32 teams that have qualified for the World Cup meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi this week voiced confidence that the expected VAR rollout would be a positive for the tournament. "This is the new life. This is modern life," said Iran head coach Carlos Queiroz. "It is obvious that football cannot go on with its eyes closed to the modern world."

Video Assistant Referee set for FIFA World Cup approval

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said that the&nbsp;Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will not be used in the next Champions League. Ceferin confirmed it during the 42nd&nbsp;UEFA Congress in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Monday.

<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">What is VAR?</div>

<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Video Assistant Referee is used to review certain decisions made by the main referee by watching video replays of the relevant incidents such as doubtful goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identity in awarding a card. It consists of the video assistant referee himself (who will be a current or former referee), his assistant and a replay operator.</div>

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VAR has been tested in more than 20 football competitions around the world over the last two years, and the International Football Association Board will discuss the use of VAR at its AGM in Zurich on March 3rd.

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Next <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UEFACongress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UEFACongress</a> will take place on 7 February 2019 in Rome <a href="https://t.co/6F4PtQVqd4">pic.twitter.com/6F4PtQVqd4</a>
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Read our President&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UEFACongress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UEFACongress</a> address in full ????<a href="https://t.co/B3iJZsblwM">https://t.co/B3iJZsblwM</a>
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&quot;I don&#39;t think they will make it a rule. But they will allow everybody to test it,&quot; said Ceferin.

&quot;I think that it will be probably used at the World Cup. We will not use it for the next season in the Champions League, I can tell you that. But I am absolutely not against it. I think there is no way back anymore,&quot; he further added.

He showed his concerns&nbsp;about the number of registered players at some clubs and said, &quot;We have to think about the number of registered players, we have to think about loans of players. We have a club I just realised last week that has 84 players on loan and 186 under contract. I don&#39;t know, it seems a little bit too much.&quot;

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Video Assistant Referee is used to review certain decisions made by the main referee by watching video replays of the relevant incidents

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said that the Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will not be used in the next Champions League. Ceferin confirmed it during the 42nd UEFA Congress in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Monday. What is VAR? Video Assistant Referee is used to review certain decisions made by the main referee by watching video replays of the relevant incidents such as doubtful goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identity in awarding a card. It consists of the video assistant referee himself (who will be a current or former referee), his assistant and a replay operator. VAR has been tested in more than 20 football competitions around the world over the last two years, and the International Football Association Board will discuss the use of VAR at its AGM in Zurich on March 3rd. Next #UEFACongress will take place on 7 February 2019 in Rome pic.twitter.com/6F4PtQVqd4 — UEFA (@UEFA) February 26, 2018 × Read our President's #UEFACongress address in full ????https://t.co/B3iJZsblwM — UEFA (@UEFA) February 26, 2018 × "I don't think they will make it a rule. But they will allow everybody to test it," said Ceferin. "I think that it will be probably used at the World Cup. We will not use it for the next season in the Champions League, I can tell you that. But I am absolutely not against it. I think there is no way back anymore," he further added. He showed his concerns about the number of registered players at some clubs and said, "We have to think about the number of registered players, we have to think about loans of players. We have a club I just realised last week that has 84 players on loan and 186 under contract. I don't know, it seems a little bit too much."

Champions League to drop use of Video Assistant Referee

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