“I can’t do anything, I can’t do anything anymore. Damn!” It is the last sentence – pronounced with desperately British aplomb – of the very complicated conversation between the referee of Tottenham-Liverpool , DINING VAR, after the disallowed goal Luis Diaz for a blatant non-existent offside. An event that sparked endless controversy.
All the original audio has been published by the English media, and it is a piece of unintentional comedy, the perfect answer to those who ask themselves every Sunday “but what did the VAR see?”. Sometimes the right question is: what did they say to each other?. Introduction to the following dialogue: at the VAR they checked and saw the offside, and they say to the referee: “full control, full control. Okay, perfect”
The referee realises that the ball is offside, disallows Liverpool's goal (regular) and restarts play. AR1: Play Referee: Hi buddy Var: Thanks friend Referee: Good job guys, nice decision making. The conversation changes tone when the Relay operator shouts in. OR: Wait, wait, wait, wait. The decision on the field was offside. Are you okay with that? VAR Assistant: Yes OR: Are you well? VAR Assistant: Offside, goal, yes. It's wrong, Daz Var: What? OR: The decision on the pitch was offside. Are you satisfied with this image? Yes, it is onside. The image we gave them gives onside.
VAR Assistant: He started playing again, he went for offside Var: Oh fuck… OR: Stop, stop. Oli (the PGMOL operator, ed.) says to delay, Oli is saying to delay Var: excuse me? OR: Oli says stop the recovery. The decision is in play Var: I can't do anything OR: Oli says to delay, Oli says to delay Var: Oils? Fourth Official: Yes? OR: Delay the resumption, delay the resumption. Stop the game Var: They resumed the game Var: I can't do anything, I can't do anything VAR Assistant: Yes. They started again. Yes. VAR Assistant: No! Var: I can't do anything, I can't do anything. Damn!
Article published on 4 October 2023 - 15:30
