UCL: UEFA removes VAR official from Champions League match

UEFA has suspended VAR which sent the referee to the pitch monitor ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s late penalty against Newcastle.

New Delhi, November 29: The VAR official who awarded PSG a penalty in the final stages of Tuesday’s match against Newcastle United has been removed from Wednesday’s matches by UEFA.

UEFA has suspended VAR which sent the referee to the pitch monitor ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s late penalty against Newcastle.

In Tuesday’s match, the Magpies had a 1-0 lead over PSG in stoppage time before Tino Livramento was called up for a controversial ball-handling incident. The penalty was scored by Kylian Mbappé, which damaged Newcastle’s chances of qualification.

The VAR who recommended PSG’s controversial stoppage time penalty against Newcastle has been relieved of his duties this evening. Tomasz Kwiatkowski sent Szymon Marciniak to the monitor, resulting in PSG’s late equalizer, and will now not play for Sociedad vs. Salzburg.

(Through: @JacobsBen) pic.twitter.com/LLybAfjIA6

— Global Watch Football (@official_gwf) November 29, 2023

Referee Szymon Marciniak was urged by VAR Tomasz Kwiatkowski to investigate the incident on the pitch monitor, after initially dismissing claims for a penalty. After watching the replay, the referee pointed to the spot, although the ball ricocheted off Livramento’s torso before reaching his arm from close range.

In the dying moments, Eddie Howe’s side dropped from second in Group F to third as Kylian Mbappe converted the penalty in the 98th minute to seal their fate.

The VAR specialist from Poland, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, is no longer working at the Real Sociedad-Salzburg match and has been replaced by a German match official.

The removal of the Polish official appears to be a sign that UEFA believes the punishment was not justified.

(With IANS inputs)