After the VAR breakdown in Liverpool FC’s defeat at Tottenham Hotspur (1:2), the referee association PGMOL published the audio recordings of the communication between the referees.
The association also explained in a detailed report to the 20 Premier League clubs that the video assistant’s error was due to a “lack of concentration and a loss of focus”.
Team manager Jürgen Klopp’s team had their supposed opening goal by Luis Diaz wrongly denied for offside in last Saturday’s game. However, the VAR team did not reverse the referee’s decision after reviewing the images.
The audio recordings show that the VAR initially believed they had made the right decision. Those responsible only noticed the error when the game had restarted.
PGMOL said “important lessons” had been learned “to reduce the risk of a future error.” Accuracy will take precedence over efficiency in the future, and a new VAR protocol will be developed to improve the clarity of communication between referees. This should include confirmation from the VAR assistant before the decision is communicated to the on-field referee.
The PGMOL had previously admitted a “serious human error” and withdrawn the affected video referees from further operations for the time being. After the game, Klopp spoke of “the most unfair circumstances and the craziest decisions”. In a statement from the Reds on Sunday, the club questioned the “integrity of the sport”.