Uefa will not allow stadium screens to show replays of incidents under review by the video assistant referee (VAR) when the system is used for the first time in the Champions League next week.
The potential security implications of replaying controversial incidents means that graphics will appear instead informing supporters in the stadium what type of incident is being reviewed. A Uefa official will be in the VAR control room at each match to communicate with broadcasters so that TV viewers can be told what is happening.
UEFA has met the clubs involved to explain the video assistant referee (VAR) system that will be used from the Round of 16, which starts next Tuesday.
UEFA invited representatives of the 16 clubs remaining in this season’s competition – coaches, coaching staff and club delegates – to a meeting in Frankfurt to brief them on the system, which is designed to help referees in their decision-making process.
In each stadium where matches are played, a mobile unit will provide coverage in the absence of a VAR centre and a referee, along with two video operators, will be located at each stadium to support the match official.
UEFA’s Chief Refereeing officer Roberto Rosetti explained that the VAR team will constantly check for clear and obvious errors related to the following four match-changing situations: Goals, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents and mistaken identity. The Italian expressed UEFA’s confidence that VAR will represent a crucial tool for referees in the future.
“We are convinced that VAR will be beneficial,” Rosetti continued, “as it will provide match officials with valuable help, allowing them to reduce clearly incorrect decisions – which is ultimately good for the clubs, the players, the coaches, the fans, the referees and the competition.”
VAR will also be used in the UEFA Europa League final, the Nations League final and the final of the Under-21 European Championship which will be held next June.
Round of 16 ties:
Schalke v Manchester City
Atlético Madrid v Juventus
Manchester United v Paris Saint-Germain
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund
Lyon v Barcelona
Roma v Porto
Ajax v Real Madrid
Liverpool v Bayern Munich