Thread by @DaleJohnsonESPN

No Monday VAR thread for the FA Cup (feel free to ask questions).

Instead, I thought I'd share a taste of the controversy from other leagues. Just to show that, contrary to belief, VAR isn't only problematic in the Premier League.

This all might sound pretty familiar...

Starting with Spain, and a couple of incidents from this weekend.

First, this Barcelona goal was disallowed for a marginal offside. Just like in the Premier League, offside is still given if the two lines do not touch (providing the "benefit of the doubt" to the attacker).

And Real Betis went public on social media angry at the standard of refereeing after their 2-2 draw at Rayo Vallecano.

Betis were especially furious with the red card shown to Alex Moreno in the 33rd minute.

Video of that here:

https://twitter.com/RealBetis_en/status/1480222291917250565?s=20

And last weekend, Real Sociedad couldn't believe the VAR did not intervene with a penalty and a red card after Alexander Isak was pushed in the back when through on goal and about to shoot.

From October, Marca's front page of "The VAR sows chaos".

Levante were given a 90th minute penalty to get a 2-2 draw at home to Atletico Madrid.

From Italy, AC Milan had an 89th minute equaliser at home to Napoli ruled out by VAR for offside.

Olivier Giroud ruled impacting a defender as he laid on the floor, shortly before the goal was scored.

And here's the reaction to that decision in Gazzetta dello Sport.

Here's Lautaro Martinez having a goal ruled out for offside by the VAR in Inter Milan's 2-1 win over Lazio on Sunday night.

Again, the same system in Italy as in England. The lines don't quite touch.

And some front pages from the Italian media.

Referee Daniele Chiffi and VAR called "inadequate" by Jose Mourinho in a headline in Corriere dello Sport on Friday.

After Inter Milan 1-1 Juventus in October.

"Inter non VAR"

"Inzaghi irate at chaos caused by the way technology is being used"
And "Inter pay for the VAR"

Another from October.

Napoli and Inter fume at how VAR is being used

From November: "Referees in chaos"

On incidents in Roma 1-2 Milan.

And a few bits from German media.

Leverkusen's Rudi Voller calls for ex-players in the VAR room.

"An ex-pro with experience in many situations might help. An ex-pro doesn't even need slow motion to realize that it wasn't a penalty."

sportbild.bild.de/bundesliga/202…

From that same incident. "Schalke rage after joke penalty."

94th minute penalty for a 1-1 draw. FIFA referee Tobias Stieler given the penalty via VAR.

sportbild.bild.de/bundesliga/ver…

"DFB ruffles VAR referees after blatantly wrong decisions"

DFB comment: “The TV pictures here do not provide any evidence that requires that it was clearly and obviously wrong that there was no penalty. Intervention by the VAR was not appropriate."

bild.de/sport/fussball…

Handball penalty given to Stuttgart against RB Leipzig.



Which also leads into this Bild article. "Leipzig's constant trouble with the VAR"

bild.de/sport/fussball…

Headline: "Now everyone is pounding on the referees!"

Gladbach captain Lars Stindl (32) was very upset and complained: “It's crazy that there was no penalty. An impudence!"

bild.de/sport/fussball…

"Again and again trouble with the video referee"

bild.de/sport/fussball…

And onto a few from France.

"Paris 'VAR' better"

And on that game

"Angers did not accept the "hazardous use" of VAR during its defeat against PSG"

lequipe.fr/Football/Actua…

A meeting between the LFP, the FFF and the officials responsible for the referees is scheduled for mid-November as they are not satisfied with standards.

"The presidents agree this season on one point: the refereeing is rather deficient."

lequipe.fr/Football/Artic…

Bruno Genesio (Rennes): “What's the point of having VAR? "

Specifically on how two incidents in the same game can be judged differently with VAR.

"Two almost similar faults are not punished in the same way and above all are not even checked."

lequipe.fr/Football/Actua…