Pep Guardiola has said VARs and referees should be more humble and not seek “an Oscar” by becoming the focus of the game.
The latest controversy over VARs has led to Liverpool being given access to the audio of the discussions between the match officials who wrongly disallowed Luis Díaz’s goal against Tottenham Hotspur.
Guardiola, speaking after his Manchester City side’s flight to Germany for Wednesday’s Champions League match against RB Leipzig was delayed by dangerous winds, said he empathised with Liverpool’s anger over the decision.
The City manager said: “The referees and the VARs are the leading roles. And the Oscar goes to . . . They have to take a step back. Some games, be more humble and leave the players to do what they have to do, and they will be better.
“They will have to find a system where the main roles are the players and the game itself. In all the countries, not just here.”
Guardiola said the introduction of video officials had removed the decision-making power from referees.
“It changes the job of the referee,” he said. “They don’t take the decisions, now it is the job of the VAR [for] the important ones. But if they make a mistake with the VAR we have a problem.
“I understand completely how upset Liverpool must be in that case. It could be another club but the bosses of the referees will decide what we have to do and we will follow them.
“Everyone knows they made a mistake and Liverpool suffered the big consequence of that. In this type of game it is so important.”
Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), has given the audio to Liverpool — after a formal request from the club — before making it public.
The mistake happened when Díaz’s goal was wrongly flagged for offside by the assistant referee. The VAR, Darren England, and his assistant, Dan Cook, were under the mistaken impression that the goal had been given on the pitch and relayed a message that the on-field decision was correct. Tottenham restarted play with a free kick and, although the mistake soon became clear, under the VAR protocols it was too late to change the decision.
The German Meteorological Service issued a severe weather warning for the Leipzig area only a couple of hours before the City squad was due to depart for Germany. It said there was “a threat to life” because of gusts of about 100km/h, so City’s flight, via private jet, was delayed and they were due to arrive at their hotel at about 10pm.
City had to scrap a press conference at Leipzig’s stadium and held it on Zoom instead.
John Stones, who has not played this season because of a hip problem, and Bernardo Silva, who suffered a minor injury in the victory over Red Star Belgrade two weeks ago, have been included in the squad. Rodri received a red card in the match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday but the Spain midfielder is also available as his three-match ban does not apply to European competition.
RB Leipzig v Manchester City
Champions League, group G
Wednesday, 8pm
TV TNT Sports
