Mike Dean left speechless after spotting VAR error on Soccer Saturday

Burnley were awarded a penalty and Sergio Reguilon was shown a straight red card during their Premier League clash with Brentford - but only after a VAR fiasco

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Kieran King and Dan Burnham Senior Sports Reporter/Content Editor

16:33, 16 Mar 2024Updated 17:25, 16 Mar 2024

Mike Dean with head in hands after a VAR failure in Burnley vs Brentford

Former ref Mike Dean couldn't believe what he was seeing(Image: Sky Sports)

Mike Dean was left lost for words as the VAR technology failed during Burnley vs Brentford.

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Referee Darren Bond was instructed to check the VAR monitor early on in the Premier League clash at Turf Moor when Clarets full-back Vitinho was brought down by Bees defender Sergio Reguilon.

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Bond initially waved play on but VAR official Paul Tierney intervened, telling his colleague to have a second look. But he wasn't able to because of a fault with the system.

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There were no clips of the incident for him to watch and fans had to wait for nearly five minutes for the penalty to be awarded, reports the Mirror. Former top referee Dean called it a "stonewall" spot kick.

Reguilon, meanwhile, was shown a red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. After what felt like forever, Jacob Bruun Larsen took the penalty and scored, giving Burnley the lead.

The pundits in the Sky Sports Soccer Saturday studio were gobsmacked by the VAR mess. Clinton Morrison said: "They are going to stop the game and have a look at it. It's going to be a penalty.

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What would you do with VAR? Let us know in the comments section.

Referee Darren Bond looks at the pitch side VAR monitor as he makes his decision before awarding a penalty to Burnley

Referee Darren Bond had nothing to look at on the VAR monitor(Image: PA)

"Reguilon has put his hands on his [Vitinho] back and he's in on goal." Dean then added: "Stonewall, he has kneed him in the back of the leg and there is a push as well. Paul Tierney is the VAR and he has sent Darren [Bond] over.

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"It will be an interesting decision really because if the penalty stands, he [Reguilon] has made no attempt to play the ball so it could be a potential red card, too."

Then Dean, Morrison, and Paul Merson noticed that VAR had a glitch the pitch-side monitor wasn't showing any video. Dean, with his head in his hands, looking totally confused, said after a bit: "It's plugged in but there is no pictures at the moment.

Sergio Reguilon was sent off following a VAR check for a challenge on Vitinho

Sergio Reguilon's foul on Vitinho was eventually punished with a penalty and red card(Image: Getty Images)

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"It's not the referees' fault and it's not the VAR's fault, it actually the operators that are working the system, so there was some technical fault somewhere."

When Merson asked if they should check it works before the game starts, Dean answered: "It probably was working but when push comes to shove it doesn't work.

"What they can do is that they can speak to both managers, explain the situation, but because VAR can see the footage in Stockley Park, he can tell Darren Bond that this is my opinion of what has gone on and you have to make this decision."