“I don’t know the cause of VAR” | Relief

It is convenient to explain, point by point, perhaps the strangest game in recent years in Spanish football.. It was the 32nd minute of the match between Zaragoza and Racing Santander in La Romareda when Arana stole the ball, scored Andres Martin and assisted Pablo Rodriguez for the visitors’ first goal (they eventually won 2–3). Sesma Espinoza authorized the goal, but VAR called him to closely monitor the abnormal action.almost unpublished in recent years and served to demonstrate to society his enormous courage as a member of society. Of course, this bravery greatly angered Victor Fernandez, who cannot explain how he managed to get on the scoreboard.

The offense centers on the fact that Arana, a Racing player, was in the penalty area when Poussin, the Zaragoza goalkeeper, began to take a goal kick. What is illegal on a regulatory level: no opponent can be in the penalty area when the goalkeeper performs this action. However, this happens many times without any consequences as it is part of this sport: The team wants to put the ball in play quickly, the dynamics of the subsequent play do not matter...

Well, in this case, it is Arana who steals the ball, which a few seconds later becomes Racing’s first goal. Something that Sesma Espinoza does not appreciate at first and decides not to cancel as soon as she sees everything happening on the monitor. Because yes, the VAR has called him in to correct him… Upon reaching the screen, the head referee warns those around him who are worried that they don’t know what’s going on: “Now I will explain what is there, please.“.

Caparros Hernandez then tries to explain from the VOR room what happened, and Sesma Espinosa gives a lesson in courage, going against the norm as such and trying to interpret the nature of the game: “Arana is in play when the goalkeeper serves. I want you to give me the whole turn to see if he’s in because he doesn’t have time to get out. Or if he’s in the game because he’s serving fast. “I want to know if he leaves because of the outcome of the game or if he stays on purpose to steal the ball.”

The public may or may not support his decision, one of the most controversial in a long time, but it cannot be said that he imposed his criteria regardless. At the same time, he continues: “Okay, I think it’s gradually coming out. I’m not going to cancel it. When he’s inside, he runs to get that ball and steals it. But it seems to me that he doesn’t have time because the goalkeeper wants to serve quickly.“However, before the time comes to decide, he prefers to ask for one more take, one more repetition, which will clarify it completely. And he says: “I give this as a legal purpose“.

Victor Fernandez, between praise and indignation: “I don’t know what VAR’s goal is”

Already at the press conference, Victor Fernandez wanted to talk in detail about what happened. If there is one thing that the Real Zaragoza coach has, it is that he has enough experience to be able to recognize the facts and offer the audience a clear and crystalline speech. In his opinion, he should have listened more to his superiors, who saw him more coldly and always in applying the rules: “He explained to me why he canceled it. This was contrary to the theory of the referees (VARs) who also know the rules.. There is an assumption in the rules that this is exactly what was applied, in my opinion, erroneously. The rules are very clear. “No player may be in this area until the ball is in play.”

But Sesma Espinosa, as in front of the monitor, did not hesitate to explain to Victor Fernandez on what he based his decision: “The referee told me that the player may not have had time to come out or that he may not have done it. so.” consciously. Or that he did not watch the game. But that same player is the one who came to put pressure on us and the one who caused the goal. The essence of the rule is very clear. Having already realized that there was no turning back, the Zaragoza coach understood , that he saw something unusual, and started a cheerful conversation with the referee: “I told him that he would never repeat such actions in his life. He told me that maybe he was right.“.

But he did not convince Victor, who continues his speech in the press room: “The game cannot be allowed to continue when there is a player who is in an illegal situation and takes advantage. If you want to put pressure on us, steal and make it a target. The rule is very clear and even if such an assumption exists, I told him that this rule is also known to everyone involved in VAR. Another way of looking at this is perhaps full of reasons: the coach believes that the intention does not matter if the result is the same. If Arana wants to take advantage, he is punished, but if he doesn’t want to and does, isn’t he punished?

Of course, what happened makes you think. So much so that praise always comes first:”He was brave not to call the game off, but I’m sure if it happens again and VAR calls him again, he won’t make that decision again.“. And becomes indignant: “In games like today, I don’t know what purpose VAR has. “He was warned by those in VAR, who also know the regulations and are much more calm than the referee.”

Victor Fernandez concluded: “The purity of the rules is very clear. No one may be in the zone until the ball is in play. And this person interpreted that it happened involuntarily. I told him that someone who didn’t watch the Play is the player who screwed us over. He read this assumption to me, and I hope that all the VARs and, in general, all the referees read it to him.“. In a broad sense, the coach also criticizes himself and admits that he does not want to take stock of his defeat in this particular action. A heavy defeat that leaves Racing provisional leader of the classification and Zaragoza, which could also go first, in fifth place.