La Liga to introduce VAR next season

MADRID: La Liga plans to introduce video assistant referees (VAR) next season, the league’s president Javier Tebas said yesterday. Spain’s top flight is the only one of Europe’s top five leagues which has so far shunned the use of goalline technology, much to the frustration of the teams.

While the only use of goalline technology is to determine whether the ball has completely crossed the goalline, VAR can be used to determine goals, red cards, penalties as well as cases of mistaken identity.

Last season Barcelona were not awarded a goal despite television replays showing the ball had crossed the line during a 1-1 draw with Real Betis.

“Next season there will be VAR in La Liga, without a doubt,” Tebas said at a news conference in Madrid yesterday. “We are making lots of progress in meetings about it right now and it will be ready very soon.”

On the opening day of this season, two other incidents also highlighted the need to introduce the technology. Sevilla defender Clement Lenglet’s goal against Espanyol was allowed to stand despite replays confirming the ball had not crossed the line, while Getafe were denied a goal against Athletic Bilbao even though Jorge Molina’s strike appeared to have gone over the line. Spanish newspaper Marca reported on Sunday that the technology will be tested out in a King’s Cup game between Atletico Madrid and Elche on Nov. 29, although the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) could not confirm whether or not the trial would take place when contacted by Reuters.—Reuters