FOOTBALL fans have been left scratching their heads once again after the audio was released for the VAR decision to send off Jhon Duran against Newcastle.
Duran was dismissed during the Magpies’ 3-0 win over Villa on Boxing Day following an incident that saw his studs scrape up the back of Fabian Schar.
The Villa striker was deemed to have deliberately stood on Schar’s back and was shown a straight red card by referee Anthony Taylor at the time.
But the decision left Villa manager Unai Emery seething, he said: “Three matches for this red card is hard to accept. There was no action with the intention to kick him.”.
Aston Villa later had an appeal against the decision rejected, meaning Duran’s three-game ban remained in place.
And the reasons behind the decision not being overturned have now been revealed on ‘Match Officials Mic’d Up’ after the audio from the incident was shown.
Following Duran’s fall to the ground, both the fourth official and assistant referee appear to tell Anthony Taylor that they believe it was accidental.
Fourth official Leigh Doughty can be heard saying: “It looks accidental from here”.
While one of the assistant refs claims the incident is “reckless” and not dangerous, suggesting Duran should be cautioned and not sent off.
He said: “So Duran steps on the back. For me, it’s a reckless act rather than anything more. He’s sort of trying to stop and then lands in the wrong place. So Duran, caution.”
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However, Anthony Taylor makes his own decision instead of taking the advice of his colleagues, citing Fabian Schar “holding somewhere else” on his body as the reason to show red.
Taylor can he heard saying: “Hang on, he [Schar] is holding somewhere else here [on his body]. I’m going red card”.
Fans have been left confused and frustrated that Taylor seemed to change his decision based on where Schar had been stamped on.
On social media, one fan wrote: “That Duran red card audio is UNBELIEVABLE, genuinely what’s the point of VAR?? Tedious.”
While another added: “Something is so wrong with this system”.
A third fumed: “Absolutely shocking”.
And a fourth posted: “Decides to send him off because of where Schar is holding. Laughable”.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb was on hand during ‘Match Officials Mic’d Up’ to explain why the decision didn’t change and why Villa’s appeal wasn’t overturned.
The retired referee explained that Taylor had the best view of the incident and so was best placed to make the decision on it being a red card, going on to add that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove his decision was incorrect to overturn it.
He said: “You can hear on the comms a range of opinions. The fourth official makes a comment based on what he’s seen, the assistant referee suggests it might be a yellow card.
“But the best placed match official by a long way is the referee, who is right behind the situation.”
Adding:”It’s always hard to read players’ minds, you have to judge the actions that we see, the physical evidence to make our judgements.
“And in this situation, the referee saw the action, felt it was a red card offence.
“And the VAR saw the movement of that leg onto the back of Schar and didn’t feel that the on-field referee’s call was obviously wrong – he probably agreed with it – and it stayed as an on-field call as a red card.”
