QUEIROZ CRITICISES VIDEO REF SYSTEM

IRAN coach Carlos Queiroz has strongly criticised Fifa’s decision to introduce video assistant referees (VAR) at the World Cup, saying it has created confusion.

The former Manchester United assistant manager was speaking ahead of Iran’s Group B decider against his native Portugal –a team he managed between 2008 and 2010 – in Saransk tonight.

Having beaten Morocco and lost to Spain, Iran know a win against the European champions would see them advance to the knockout stage for the first time but they are still upset that Saeid Ezatolahi’s late equaliser against Spain was disallowed for offside a f t e r a VA R r ev i ew, albeit correctly.

Asked whether he was concerned Iran could suffer more VAR-related mise r y a g a i n s t Po r t u g a l , Queiroz said it was important “intellectuals did not try to intellectualise” the game and “take it away from the people”, and he claimed that making mistakes is human but what VAR was doing “was inhumane”.

He explained t hat if teams had a question about how to deal with concussions or a security issue “we would get a meeting straightaway” but if they ask for “a clarification” on VAR they are told to write to FIFA, who say they will deal with it after the tournament.

“We need to know who is really refereeing the game in Russia.”