22/01/2024
What I think about yesterdayโs VAR calls.
1st - Absolutely a handball. Joselu headed it and it was on target. The keeper wouldโve probably held on to it easily, but it was on target anyway and it hits an outstretched arm. Clear penalty.
2nd - Jude was fouled throughout the first half. A couple of fouls even deserved yellows. The foul on him leading up to this goal was done by a player who was trying to intimidate Jude from the first half. In any situation that involves a player hitting another playerโs face on the pitch, its given as a foul. So how is this case any different? Why is this not a foul? Mind you, Jude isnt exactly a diver either. Right call for me, but I understand why certain people would be upset.
3rd - Not a goal. Thats a handball for me. There is only one angle where it looks like it hits the shoulder of Vini but every other angle looks like it hits the upper arm.
11 mins of stoppage time - There were three long VAR stoppages, including multiple substitutions, injury stoppages. Every game is usually given around 5 minutes of stoppage time now even without VAR interventions. Everyone who is crying about the long stoppage time is just butthurt that Madrid won in the end.
Overall, its a game that will be remembered for the referee. If we win the league from only a couple of points, people will definitely point to this game and say we cheated to win. Whether we agree to it or not is not the point, its just how the narrative will be written. A game like this by the referee puts to waste all the hard work our players have been putting in on the pitch.
- Blanco