Real Madrid 3-1 Atletico Madrid, 2018/19 Primera Liga
The Madrid derby was provided typical drama when the hosts were awarded a first-half penalty with the match poised at 1-1. Atletico’s Jose Gimenez was deemed to have fouled Vinicious Junior in the area and the incident was referred to VAR. Much to the visitors’ bemusement, the decision stood despite seemingly taking place outside the box, leaving Sergio Ramos to thrash home from the spot. Madrid took local bragging rights. Getty Images
Manchester City 3-4 Tottenham, 2018/19 Uefa Champions League quarter-final
What a finish to an incredible encounter. A goal up on the night and with the tie at 4-4 on aggregate, City needed another to advance to the semi-final. They thought they had it when, deep into injury-time, Raheem Sterling shot past Hugo Lloris. The Etihad went wild in celebration, only for VAR to intervene. Sergio Aguero was marginally offside before squaring to Sterling. Somehow, Spurs advanced on away goals, the decider coming after VAR had been consulted on Fernando Llorente’s bump into the net. Getty Images
Germany 1-0 Chile, 2017 Confederations Cup group stage
VAR’s introduction to the international arena brought with it an instant controversy. In the second Group B game, taking place at the Kazan Arena, Chile’s Gonzalo Jara elbowed Germany’s Timo Werner off the ball. Having missed the incident live, referee Milorad Mazic took three minutes to review, and eventually awarded only a yellow card. It was a clear red. Reuters
France 4-2 Croatia, 2018 World Cup final
With football’s showpiece poised at 1-1 and half-time approaching in Moscow, France’s Blaise Matuidi flicked on a corner and the ball struck Croatian Ivan Perisic’s hand. The midfielder knew little about it. Referee Nestor Pitana signalled for a corner, before a VAR review overturned the decision and a penalty was awarded. Antoine Griezmann converted. France went on to win. Getty Images
Al Jazira 1-2 Real Madrid 2, 2017 Club World Cup semi-final
The UAE champions, tournament hosts, seemed set to cause a huge upset when they went 2-0 up against world champions Real Madrid at the beginning of the second half in Abu Dhabi. Zayed Sports City erupted. However, replays showed Mbark Boussoufa was marginally offside before shooting past Keylor Navas. There appeared to be mere millimetres in it. Madrid rebounded to win. Reuters
Tottenham 1-0 Manchester City, 2018/19 Uefa Champions League quarter-final
The first leg wasn’t free from VAR controversy either. With the match at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium only 12 minutes old, a sliding Danny Rose blocked Raheem Sterling’s shot and a corner was awarded. No one appealed. Then VAR intervened, and referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot. Spurs captain Hugo Lloris saved from Sergio Aguero, though, allowing the hosts to go on to take a first-leg lead to the Etihad. Reuters
Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester United, 2018/19 Uefa Champions League last-16
On the brink of elimination, United were given a late-late reprieve at the Parc des Princes. In stoppage time, Diogo Dalot's ambitious shot cannoned off defender Presnel Kimpembe’s arm, alerting the VAR. Referee Damir Skomina soon decided it warranted a penalty, and Marcus Rashford scored. With the aggregate score at 3-3, United progressed on the away-goal rule. Getty Images
Saudi Arabia 2-1 Egypt, 2018 World Cup group stage
Goalkeeper Essam El Hadary had already made headlines by becoming the oldest player at a World Cup. Then, the 45-year-old Egytpian saved a controversial spot-kick from Fahad Al Muwallad. Yet his joy was short-lived, when later Al Muwallad went down in the area and, despite VAR showing the Saudi had hold of marker Ali Gabr’s shirt, referee Wilmar Roldan upheld his original call. Salman Al Faraj converted, and Saudi went on to win to secure a first World Cup victory in 24 years. Getty Images
Iran 1-1 Portugal, 2018 World Cup group stage
The final Group B match was compelling and contentious. Cristiano Ronaldo, who had earlier missed a penalty, was subject of a red-card review having swung his arm at Morteza Pouraliganji off the ball. However, referee Enrique Caceres deemed it only a yellow card. Iran exacted some revenge, though, scoring a stoppage-time penalty after Cedric Soares was harshly adjudged by VAR to have handled. The draw meant Portugal finished second, instead of top. AFP Photo
Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 Rochdale, 2017/18 FA Cup fifth round
VAR was introduced to the FA Cup that season, given an eventful debut in the fourth-round match between Liverpool and West Bromich Albion. It did not match the later shenanigans, however, when controversial calls littered Spurs’ game against Rochdale at Wembley. Erik Lamela’s goal was disallowed, Kieran Trippier’s free-kick was upgraded to a penalty, and Son Heung-Min’s spot-kick was ruled out after he stuttered his run-up. Manager Mauricio Pochettino called VAR "embarrassing". Getty Images
Real Madrid 3-1 Atletico Madrid, 2018/19 Primera Liga
The Madrid derby was provided typical drama when the hosts were awarded a first-half penalty with the match poised at 1-1. Atletico’s Jose Gimenez was deemed to have fouled Vinicious Junior in the area and the incident was referred to VAR. Much to the visitors’ bemusement, the decision stood despite seemingly taking place outside the box, leaving Sergio Ramos to thrash home from the spot. Madrid took local bragging rights. Getty Images
Manchester City 3-4 Tottenham, 2018/19 Uefa Champions League quarter-final
What a finish to an incredible encounter. A goal up on the night and with the tie at 4-4 on aggregate, City needed another to advance to the semi-final. They thought they had it when, deep into injury-time, Raheem Sterling shot past Hugo Lloris. The Etihad went wild in celebration, only for VAR to intervene. Sergio Aguero was marginally offside before squaring to Sterling. Somehow, Spurs advanced on away goals, the decider coming after VAR had been consulted on Fernando Llorente’s bump into the net. Getty Images
Germany 1-0 Chile, 2017 Confederations Cup group stage
VAR’s introduction to the international arena brought with it an instant controversy. In the second Group B game, taking place at the Kazan Arena, Chile’s Gonzalo Jara elbowed Germany’s Timo Werner off the ball. Having missed the incident live, referee Milorad Mazic took three minutes to review, and eventually awarded only a yellow card. It was a clear red. Reuters
France 4-2 Croatia, 2018 World Cup final
With football’s showpiece poised at 1-1 and half-time approaching in Moscow, France’s Blaise Matuidi flicked on a corner and the ball struck Croatian Ivan Perisic’s hand. The midfielder knew little about it. Referee Nestor Pitana signalled for a corner, before a VAR review overturned the decision and a penalty was awarded. Antoine Griezmann converted. France went on to win. Getty Images
Al Jazira 1-2 Real Madrid 2, 2017 Club World Cup semi-final
The UAE champions, tournament hosts, seemed set to cause a huge upset when they went 2-0 up against world champions Real Madrid at the beginning of the second half in Abu Dhabi. Zayed Sports City erupted. However, replays showed Mbark Boussoufa was marginally offside before shooting past Keylor Navas. There appeared to be mere millimetres in it. Madrid rebounded to win. Reuters
Tottenham 1-0 Manchester City, 2018/19 Uefa Champions League quarter-final
The first leg wasn’t free from VAR controversy either. With the match at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium only 12 minutes old, a sliding Danny Rose blocked Raheem Sterling’s shot and a corner was awarded. No one appealed. Then VAR intervened, and referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot. Spurs captain Hugo Lloris saved from Sergio Aguero, though, allowing the hosts to go on to take a first-leg lead to the Etihad. Reuters
Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester United, 2018/19 Uefa Champions League last-16
On the brink of elimination, United were given a late-late reprieve at the Parc des Princes. In stoppage time, Diogo Dalot's ambitious shot cannoned off defender Presnel Kimpembe’s arm, alerting the VAR. Referee Damir Skomina soon decided it warranted a penalty, and Marcus Rashford scored. With the aggregate score at 3-3, United progressed on the away-goal rule. Getty Images
Saudi Arabia 2-1 Egypt, 2018 World Cup group stage
Goalkeeper Essam El Hadary had already made headlines by becoming the oldest player at a World Cup. Then, the 45-year-old Egytpian saved a controversial spot-kick from Fahad Al Muwallad. Yet his joy was short-lived, when later Al Muwallad went down in the area and, despite VAR showing the Saudi had hold of marker Ali Gabr’s shirt, referee Wilmar Roldan upheld his original call. Salman Al Faraj converted, and Saudi went on to win to secure a first World Cup victory in 24 years. Getty Images
Iran 1-1 Portugal, 2018 World Cup group stage
The final Group B match was compelling and contentious. Cristiano Ronaldo, who had earlier missed a penalty, was subject of a red-card review having swung his arm at Morteza Pouraliganji off the ball. However, referee Enrique Caceres deemed it only a yellow card. Iran exacted some revenge, though, scoring a stoppage-time penalty after Cedric Soares was harshly adjudged by VAR to have handled. The draw meant Portugal finished second, instead of top. AFP Photo
Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 Rochdale, 2017/18 FA Cup fifth round
VAR was introduced to the FA Cup that season, given an eventful debut in the fourth-round match between Liverpool and West Bromich Albion. It did not match the later shenanigans, however, when controversial calls littered Spurs’ game against Rochdale at Wembley. Erik Lamela’s goal was disallowed, Kieran Trippier’s free-kick was upgraded to a penalty, and Son Heung-Min’s spot-kick was ruled out after he stuttered his run-up. Manager Mauricio Pochettino called VAR "embarrassing". Getty Images
Real Madrid 3-1 Atletico Madrid, 2018/19 Primera Liga
The Madrid derby was provided typical drama when the hosts were awarded a first-half penalty with the match poised at 1-1. Atletico’s Jose Gimenez was deemed to have fouled Vinicious Junior in the area and the incident was referred to VAR. Much to the visitors’ bemusement, the decision stood despite seemingly taking place outside the box, leaving Sergio Ramos to thrash home from the spot. Madrid took local bragging rights. Getty Images
