Pros and Cons of VAR
Posted: January 13, 2020
Updated: January 13, 2020
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VAR has been used now in most top leagues in Europe
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Most recently it has been introduced in the Premier League
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Many are not happy with it and asked for changes
The Pros
VAR definitely helps the work of the referees and make them more confident. As it offers them the option to ask the opinion of the video assistant and three further assistants, in case they are not certain about a situation. Or they can even rewatch it on TV when VAR can’t decide. But the last world still belongs to the referees, the VAR can only make suggestions to them.Referees can rewatch difficult situations on a screen [SounderBruce [CC BY-SA]
The new system has been introduced in the Bundesliga and Serie A in the 2017-18 season, as it was mentioned by online sportsbook news in Italy. In Serie A referees’ jobs are even harder than in other countries as players like to overact in different situations. In these cases, VAR can definitely help with allowing some time for the referees to think their decision through. Also for players to cool down and accept the decisions. Another big advantage of VAR, that we can’t see as many errors as before, especially in situations like judging an offside. For human eyes, it can be very difficult to see the difference of a few centimeters. But now thanks to the new technologies, the referees can review them in detail and make a decision based on that. This is not always a good thing for anyone betting on a game on bet365, as a possible win can be overturned quickly.The Cons
Besides all its benefits, there are some negative factors around VAR. As per the original advice, referees should only use it in four major situations:- Whether a goal should stay or not
- Penalties
- Straight red cards
- Mistaken identity
Biggest controversies around VAR
With all the pros and cons of VAR, most top leagues are using VAR without major problems. But in the Premier League, it might be a long process to getting used to it. Players and managers were expressing their concerns and unhappiness about the new system. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said that he can’t really celebrate any goal scored by his team now, as it might get disallowed after VAR checks. It is true, that it can take away the joy that a goal used to bring for the players and the fans when everyone needs to wait to see if it is really a goal or not.
Jurgen Klopp is not happy with VAR Ruaraidh Gillies [CC BY-SA]/
There have been many games so far, which included controversies. Like the Liverpool vs Manchester City game, where Guardiola almost exploded in anger after the referee didn't give them penalties in two suspicious situations, even after consulting VAR. Officials are all agreed that improvements are needed, especially with the fans' experience. There are suggestions to play the conversation between the referee and VAR assistants like in NFL and rugby union. And even replay some videos about situations where the referee’s decision has been overturned. Whatever holds the future for VAR, you can still make a bet on any Premier League games on bet365. For more tips, you can also read our latest review about bet365 sportsbook.