Mourinho demands VAR system is removed until perfect
ENGLISH football’s video assistant referee (VAR) system should not be in operational until “perfect”, according to Jose Mourinho.
The Manchester United manager was unhappy that his team had a goal ruled out in their 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round win away to Huddersfield Town.
VAR resulted in a disallowed Juan Mata goal for offside in a clash that was won following two unaffected Romelu Lukaku efforts. “I am familiar with what VAR is bringing that is good and bad,” said Mourinho.
“I think it is an experimental period and they [the FA and Fifa] have to get rid of the bad and make it perfect.”
Mata goal denied
Mata put the ball in the net before the interval after breaking away from the Huddersfield defence to meet Ashley Young and beating goalkeeper Jonas Lossl from a tight angle.
The midfielder was celebrating as referee Kevin Friend had his finger to his earpiece before the offside call was made by VAR.
“I did what I had to do, which was to score, and celebrated,” Mata said. “Then after I saw the referee speaking to someone and you look silly when the goal is denied.
“I am up for VAR and I think it is good for football especially to make important decisions and make it a little bit fairer but it seems like today it was not a very clear decision against us and me.
”The good thing was that it was not needed [the goal] because we won anyway but I think we all wished it was quicker. I celebrated and it did not count.” rfi news