The refereeing team has come under fire this season for a number of mistakes during the season, with UEFA referee director Roberto Rosetti speaking out about their methods.
Referees have come under criticism this season (Image: Getty Images)
Despite the increased focus on refereeing, UEFA remains behind in implementing VAR in football. The technology was introduced in the Champions League ahead of the 2019/20 season.
However, the debate is still ongoing, with supporters dissatisfied with many decisions, and long delays continue to be one of the main negative factors for VAR.
UEFA acknowledges that improvements still need to be made in the use of the technology, but the organization’s head of refereeing, Roberto Rosetti, confirmed that work will continue.
“We have to remember why VAR was introduced,” Rossetti said. “This technology was created to fix this. While this technology is great for making objective decisions like offside, you have to be careful about making subjective decisions, because looking at small details slows down the game.”
He added: “What’s important is one concept. We can’t delay the restart of the game. If there’s something that delays the restart of the game, I think it’s not good for football.”
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“I can also say that we like any small changes that will speed up the return to play. We like it because football is about intensity, it’s about emotion and it doesn’t delay the return to play.”
And while VAR remains under scrutiny, Rosetti encouraged officials to remain vigilant not only in handball decisions but also in regards to serious fouls.
When it comes to red cards for serious offenses, officials are urging players to remain vigilant in technical areas, as it has been found that the most dangerous tackles occur near these areas.
Roberto Rosetti gives instructions to the referees (Image: Getty Images)
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Referees are also ordered to “recognize the nature of the challenge, assess whether a player is truly playing for the ball, and act decisively if a forceful tackle or stud-up tackle endangers an opponent.”
“We will continue to take strict measures,” Rosetti said. “Our focus is always on protecting our players.”
In the case of handball, referees are instructed to consider the player’s attitude and intent, whether the arms are in a natural position, and whether there is contact where a change of direction is inevitable after a physical challenge.
Finally, Rosetti encouraged referees to try to crack down on players’ exaggerations after minimal or slight contact.
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