The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) had originally intended to introduce the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system at the UEFA Europa League final stage in a bid to assist referees in making more accurate decisions. However, in a dramatic turn of events, UEFA suddenly announced that it was bringing forward the application of VAR technology to the quarter-finals, with the aim of reducing the rate of misjudgements and ensuring that the teams that reach the final are deserving of it.
Although VAR technology has become a standard feature of international competitions in recent years, this year's UEFA has once appeared to be out of touch with tradition. Originally planning to introduce VAR at the final stage, the UEFA has recently announced an adjustment to its strategy, choosing to activate the technology early in the quarterfinals stage in an effort to make the tournament more fair.
Looking back to the second leg of the UEFA Europa League knockout playoffs in February this year, Karabakh hosted Marseille, Karabakh striker Huaji tapped the ball into the net with his hand, but the referee's view was obstructed and the VAR system failed to intervene in time, the goal was ruled valid, which immediately triggered a huge controversy. Fortunately, Karabakh's skipper Gubanov instructed Huaji to admit his handball, and the referee eventually ruled that the goal was invalid, highlighting the importance of the VAR system.
This year's UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, Lister City v Roma and Feijano v Marseille, are both equally strong matches and are expected to feature many controversial moments, and the intervention of VAR technology will undoubtedly improve the fairness of the matches. Therefore, many fans appreciated UEFA's decision and considered it a "smart move".
