Niko Kovač Addresses VAR Challenges Ahead of Dortmund vs. Mainz

omidbasir- Ahead of Borussia Dortmund’s Bundesliga match against Mainz on Friday, Niko Kovač addressed the persistent issues surrounding the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Kovač expressed his concerns, stating, “It’s a difficult issue. It’s certainly not easy, as the pressure on referees is currently very high.”

Kovač further analyzed the situation, noting, “The biggest problem is that we do not have a common understanding.”

Matchday 21 was notably affected by contentious refereeing decisions. Referee Patrick Ittrich awarded a penalty to Mainz against Augsburg after observing contact between Stefan Bell and Elvis Rexhbeçaj. However, according to Ruhr24, despite a VAR review and ambiguous footage, Ittrich’s decision remained unchanged, although he later conceded that his original perception was not corroborated.

Expanding on the issues related to VAR, Kovač remarked, “Ideally, irrespective of who is in the VAR room, the decision should always be consistent.”

He concluded, “One week you’re frustrated that a call wasn’t made, and the next week, a different decision is rendered, leaving everyone confused.”

Reported by GGFN | Daniel Pinder.