As little VAR as possible! UEFA issues refereeing statement ahead of playoff kickoff

UEFA wants to avoid unnecessary precedents.

Details: Today, UEFA's official website published a statement from the organization's refereeing director, Roberto Rosetti, who outlined the key situations in which referees may turn to VAR during the Champions League playoff matches.

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All referees have been advised to strictly clamp down on and penalize players for dangerous tackles near technical areas to prevent clashes between teams. It was also clarified that from now on, VAR will only intervene in cases of a clear and obvious error by the referee, leaving microscopic incidents without the possibility of a replay review.

Rosetti also recommended that referees communicate more with team captains to help lower emotional tensions, which sometimes reach a boiling point.

UEFA assured that this approach to matches will benefit football overall and eliminate unnecessary game delays, which only serve to decrease fan engagement.

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