Understanding VAR Decisions: The Ronaldo Incident

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) continues to generate debate each week, prompting questions about how decisions are made and their accuracy.

This season, we delve into significant incidents to clarify the VAR protocol and the relevant laws of the game.

Andy Davies, a former Select Group referee with over 12 seasons in the Premier League and Championship, provides invaluable insights into the workings of VAR. His extensive experience at the elite level equips him to explain the processes and rationale utilized on a Premier League matchday.

In the recent match, referee Glenn Nyberg and VAR Pol van Boekel were involved in a critical incident concerning Cristiano Ronaldo. The event unfolded in the 59th minute when Ronaldo was shown a yellow card for violent conduct following a coming together with Republic of Ireland’s Dara O’Shea. O’Shea fell to the ground, prompting Ronaldo to gesture that his opponent had dived.

However, after reviewing the footage, the VAR recommended an On-Field Review (OFR) regarding a possible act of violent conduct by Ronaldo, suggesting an upgrade of the sanction from a yellow card to a red.

During the VAR review, it became evident that Ronaldo had deliberately swung his elbow at O’Shea. The VAR team concluded that the action constituted an aggressive act that warranted an OFR. They determined that the force of the elbow strike met the threshold for a violent act, regardless of the specific point of contact with O’Shea.

Upon receiving the recommendation, Nyberg consulted the pitchside monitor and subsequently rescinded the yellow card, issuing a red card instead.

The verdict was a commendable intervention by VAR in this situation. When a player demonstrates deliberate aggression towards an opponent, the threshold for a violent act is typically lowered. In this case, it was clear that Ronaldo had committed an elbow offense, irrespective of where the contact occurred.

The laws state that a red card is warranted when a player strikes or attempts to strike an opponent. Although the original incident may not have been fully observed by Nyberg and his assistants, particularly as it occurred off the ball during active play, their hesitation suggested a difficulty in piecing together the event.

Nonetheless, this incident serves as an effective illustration of VAR functioning as intended. Ronaldo, however, expressed his disagreement by leaving the field while sarcastically applauding the officials.