FOOTBALL fans have speculatedĀ that VAR officials did not show key sections of footage to show the referee as Vinicius Jr was sent off in Real Madrid’s clash with Valencia.
The Brazilian winger was handed a red card after a brawl broke out in the game in which it was claimed he was racially abused by the Valencia fans.
The dismissal came in the closing stages of the second half after Toni Kroos went close to scoring from a free kick.
Players from both sides collided and TV replays showed Valencia’s Hugo Duro put his arm around Vinicius Jr’s neck.
The Madrid star then managed to get out of the hold and caught the striker’s head with his arm.
Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea was advised to go to the monitor to review the scuffle.
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However, some fans have claimed thatĀ the footage shown to the Spanish official appears to have missed the part in which Vinicius Jr has Duro’s arm around his neck.
Viewers of the stream suggested that the referee was only shown the arm hitting Duro, leading to the red card of Vinicius Jr.
The moment has been slammed by viewers online as one tweeted: “This whole situation is ludicrous.
“Vinicius Jr was the subject of racial abuse, heās then been put in a chokehold, VAR have told the referee to look at it, the footage shown to the ref didnāt show the choke and Vinicius Jr has been sent off.”
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A second wrote: “With the ref being shown that portion of play the player that Vini raises his hands to even has his arm around Vinis neck so how has that been missed also. The Spanish refereeing makes our lot look amazing.”
A third said: “One of the worst decisions of the season! Utterly shocking!”
A fourth added: “How on earth hasn’t Hugo Duro been sent off there.”
A fifth defended Vinicius, by saying: “That is unbelievable, he had every right to raise his arm there to shake him off.”
After the game, the Real Madrid star claimed Spain is a “country of racists”.
HeĀ reported abuse from home supportersĀ during his team’s 1-0 defeat at the Mestalla Stadium.
ViniciusĀ pointed out the alleged offenders to the referee, with the match temporarily halted for around nine minutes.
Los Blancos’ star winger sarcastically applauded and gave a peace sign to the home crowd as he left the field.
Real Madrid later published an angry statement condemning the lack of “decisiveness” among referees in Spain and the “inaction” of the Spanish FA.
It went on to say: “Yesterday, the referee and those in charge of the VAR evaded their responsibilities and made unfair decisions based on incomplete images, which were not seen completely, which were biased and which resulted in the direct sending off of our player Vinicius JĆŗnior.
“Unfortunately, what happened yesterday and the handling of it by the referees and the VAR is not perceived as an isolated incident, but as something that has been happening in many of our matches.
“The victim who experiences the crime can never be held responsible for the offence.”
La Liga meanwhile have published a list of seven complaints of offensive chants they have sent to the Spanish FA and Anti-violence Commission, detailing offensive chants by Valencia fans.
Neither La Liga or the Spanish FA have yet commented on the VAR footage that was used for the red card decision.
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Reports from Spain claim that the Spanish FA and the Referees’ Committee have taken action and sacked the game’s VAR official Nacho Iglesias Villanueva.
However, those reports state that the sacking will only come into effect after this weekend as Iglesias Villanueva has already been appointed to a match.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
