Roma prez calls for introduction of VAR after blunders
Roma president James Pallotta has criticised the officiating after being knocked out by Liverpool in the Champions League semifinal and said it will be an “absolute joke” if video assistant referees (VAR) are not introduced in the competition.
“I know it is difficult to ref but it is really embarrassing that we lose on aggregate like that,” Pallotta told reporters. “You just can’t let stuff like this happen.”
Pallotta felt Roma should have been awarded two penalties in the second leg. Edin Dzeko was brought down by Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius just after the interval but the striker was ruled offside. Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold appeared to handle the ball in the box from a Stephan El Shaarawy shot but the incident was missed by the officials.
“You can all look at it yourself. In the 49th minute he wasn’t offside and he gets taken down by the goalie,” Pallotta said.
“It was a handball that was obvious to everyone probably in the world except people on the pitch. It should have been a red card which would have been 10 men in the 63rd minute. “If they don’t get VAR in the Champions League, it is an absolute joke.”
Roma sporting director Monchi claimed that VAR “must” be brought into the Champions League. “Congratulations to Liverpool but it is necessary to analyse what happened,” he told Italian television.
“There were two very clear penalties that were missed tonight and that changed everything, and in the first leg they scored an offside goal. The VAR must come into the Champions League. I don’t understand why there is no VAR in the most important competition.”
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has said that technology will not be introduced for next season’s competitions.