VAR, a bankrupt system that does not correct referees' mistakes

The referees are at an impasse. Controversies are piling up, and the leaders of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) don't know how to resolve this untenable situation as the final stretch of the season begins. Teams' complaints focus on the use of VAR. In this regard, Barça sent a letter to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) expressing their dissatisfaction with the criteria being applied. Interestingly, the Blaugrana They felt wronged again in GironaFor example, the 2-1 home goal was allowed despite a previous foul on Kounde, and the penalty missed by Lamine Yamal wasn't retaken even though Bryan Gil, who influenced the play, entered the area prematurely. The truth is that the VAR officials are following the instructions of their head, Eduardo Prieto Iglesias, to the letter, who asks them to minimize VAR intervention. They received the following directive: "We prefer that you make a mistake so we don't have to intervene when necessary, rather than sending a colleague to the monitor when they shouldn't." This request has influenced the decision-making process and led the VAR officials to prioritize justifying the on-field referee's decision over correcting the error. The creation of the specific VAR unit clips the wings of elite referees.

The level of the VAR officials also significantly affects the quality of decisions, since, starting this season, on-field referees can no longer lead the VAR team. Rafael Louzán, president of the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation), tasked the CTA (Technical Committee of Referees) with creating a specific VAR team made up of referees dedicated exclusively to that role. The team, currently 16 members, covers matches in the First and Second Divisions. At the same time, they prohibited the main referees from acting as VAR officials, and this has significantly disadvantaged international referees like Martínez Munuera and De Burgos Bengoetxea. The lack of consistent experience in the Spanish league has caused them to lose competitive edge compared to other European VAR officials, to the point that only Hernández Hernández remains a viable option to join Del Cerro at the World Cup. The impact is also noticeable domestically, where inconsistencies arise that affect decision-making. This happened in the Real Madrid - Real Sociedad and Girona - Barça matches, where the VAR referee had experience primarily in the Second Division, while the AVAR was an international referee. Financially, the difference between the two positions is also substantial: a VAR receives €2,500 per match, and their assistant just over €1,000.

The anomalous situation of international VAR referees

This week, UEFA is holding a course in Vienna with the European referees shortlisted for the World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada after the club competitions conclude. The La Liga representatives are José María Sánchez Martínez as the main referee and Carlos Del Cerro Grande and Alejandro Hernández Hernández as VAR specialists. This seminar is the final cut before the definitive list is announced, and Roberto Rosetti, the top European refereeing official, will decide who makes the final squad and who is left out. The CTA (Technical Committee of Referees) officials have been worried in recent months because the possibility of being left without any main referees for the World Cup was very real. Jesús Gil Manzano's controversial performances in recent seasons led UEFA to rule him out in the early stages of the process, so all of Spain's options for on-field referees have been concentrated on José María Sánchez Martínez. Barring any major surprises, the referee from Murcia will officiate his first World Cup.

Del Cerro Grande from Madrid has a virtually guaranteed spot in the VAR room: he's the only one in the league who was an elite referee on the field and is now fully integrated into the VAR team. In contrast, Hernández Hernández finds himself in an unusual situation, having been clearly disadvantaged by the refereeing reform implemented by the Spanish Federation.