VAR, Goal Line ... "It's not the technology that's the problem, it's the use we make of it"

This is enough to bring water to the mill of the supporters of an arbitration assisted by new technologies.

Reigning European champion, Portugal was forced to a draw by Serbia (2-2) on Saturday evening in the qualifiers for the Europe zone for the 2022 World Cup. The last moments of this meeting were thus marked by the annulment of a very valid goal from Cristiano Ronaldo.

We play the very last seconds when the five-fold Golden Ball precedes the exit of the opposing goalkeeper and believes to register the goal of deliverance, despite the disaster tackle from Strasbourg's Stefan Mitrovic.

The ball crossed the line well, and largely even, but Dutch international referee Danny Makkelie and his assistant do not see it that way.

And unfortunately for the Portuguese neither the VAR nor the

Goal Line technology

are used during these qualifications for the next World Cup.

If the referee admitted his mistake and apologized for it after the game, the damage was done.

And the endless debate revived: should we use technologies to help referees?

Furious to see his goal refused in stoppage time, Cristiano Ronaldo comes out before the final whistle (no VAR or goal line in these qualifications).

Portugal should have come away with victory against Serbia 😳😤🇵🇹 #SERPOR #CristianoRonaldo pic.twitter.com/2AgNN9C6yw

- Valentin Ramos (@ Val9rms) March 27, 2021

"To institute it on all the meetings, that would have a huge blow for Fifa"

This (in) arbitration decision did not take long to cause a stir in Portugal, where the press was not shy to castigate, to put it mildly, the game director. A Bola in particular tried a revealing pun - "Sam VARgonha" ("Sans VARgogne") -, while the daily Record crossed out its front page with "Theft!"

" without detour.

“It's clear, here the G

oal Line

would have allowed the referee to make the right decision.

There would have been no debate, analysis Bruno Derrien, former international referee.

In this situation, it is difficult for the referee to see, since he is far away, and in the middle.

It goes so fast ... It's his assistant to detect this normally.

"

Para el diario Record of Portugal, el NO gol of CR7 vs.

Serbia fue ... ¡UN ROBO!

pic.twitter.com/20UHePrC17

- SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) March 28, 2021

This refereeing error, as there were many others a few years ago when humans were the sole judges of such game situations, raises the question of the usefulness of refereeing assistance.

“Today, there is no longer any dispute with the referees when a ball crosses the line, since the principal official's watch vibrates.

It's the technology that decides, ”adds Derrien.

So why not use it on a match of such importance, qualifying for a competition as important as the World Cup?

"I do not know how many matches there are like this one, but to institute it on all the matches, it would have a huge cost for Fifa", estimates Derrien.

Make a "balance sheet" of the VAR?

Mocked all the time since their deployment, this assistance, and in particular the VAR, can prove to be very useful.

When not in use, they are, in fact, sorely lacking.

“We must make the distinction: as much there is a lot to say about the use of the VAR, as much the G

oal Line

, it is clinical, instantaneous, measures the former referee.

But it's not the technology that's the problem, it's the way it is used.

VAR is subject to human judgment in the face of images, that is all the difference.

Many are against it, it sometimes adds confusion, but the assistance avoids big mistakes, it must be admitted.

"

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Like the benefit-risk balance that justifies the use of vaccines in the midst of a health crisis, Bruno Derrien suggests carrying out an "accounting balance" of the number of decisions "corrected or not by the VAR".

In an attempt to finally put an end to a debate that does not seem close to stopping.