Finally We Have Learned How VAR Really Works

This week we have finally learned how VAR works. Yes, the title is right. Exclusively for SempreInter.com, this is the only explainer you need to make you understand how VAR actually works in Italy. Keep reading till the end, it will solve ANY misconceptions that you might have had!

1. Italy’s VAR: Better than the best

VAR worked very well in the last World Cup. During this event which is followed by millions around the globe, the Video-Assistant Referee worked wonders, reducing substantially controversies and ensuring no injustice was made. But this wasn’t enough for Italy.

Despite this performance at the World Cup, Italy’s football authorities wanted to be better. Hence, they modified the protocol which regulated how VAR works. Why let VAR intervene automatically when a human error is made, when you have an impartial Italian referee with eyes all over the place that can always make the right call?

With this in mind, and also due to the Italian Economy faring really badly at the moment, it would be useless to let the VAR on for a whole 90 minutes. This ensures that the best possible decision is made and avoid Italy the huge expenses of running VAR all the time. After all, there’s nothing strange in trying to be better than the best, no?

2. VAR does not see everything

Sassoulo-Inter, first game of the season. A Sassuolo player is lightly charged by Inter’s Miranda, and soon enough the referee points to the penalty spot. In the second half, Asamoah runs dangerously in the box but falls when he is roughly charged by a Sassuolo defender.

If VAR was functioning, it would have awarded a penalty for Inter since it surely was similar to the Sassuolo penalty. But that’s the shortcoming of VAR, it does not see everything. In this case, Asamoah surely got taken away by the wind of his opponent and clumsily fell on the poor Sassuolo defender. Thank god for the impartial Italian referee who in his mind, saw the action in slow-motion mode and could make the right call without the need to check with VAR.

3. VAR is not compassionate

Why use VAR when it’s an emotionless machine which does not show compassion? Take Inter-Parma for example. Inter were close to score before a young Parma defender panicked and used his arm to clear the ball off the line.

See? If VAR was on, it would send off the young defender and give a penalty to Inter. But that’s the problem, it does not take into consideration the emotions of the young Italian defender who was playing for the first time for his new club. How heartless would that be if that spelled the end for Parma’s Federico Di Marco? Furthermore, if he was sent off, the defender would not have had the opportunity to score a wonder goal against his former club, giving lowly Parma the three points. Who cares for injustice when VAR may ruin other people’s emotions?

4. VAR is working

Inter’s last game against Sampdoria showed that VAR is working. Indeed, during this game it was crucial to point out to the referee that some 20 seconds before Nainggolan’s goal, there was a millimetric offside. THAT would have been a true injustice against the well-playing Sampdoria. Why is any one arguing that VAR is not working?

(5. This article was obviously written with a pinch of irony)

It was only through this sarcasm that I could show the really sorry state of Italian football right now and it’s handling of the VAR. One cannot argue in a serious manner when the use of VAR was ridiculed to such low levels.

James J Piscopo is a journalist based in Malta. 27 years old, he has been following Inter for more than two decades. He writes a weekly editorial exclusively for SempreInter.com