Stewart Robson, Peter Walton and Alison Bender debate the use of VAR at the upcoming World Cup, and ask if referees are suitably prepared for it in the Premier League.
A group of several hundred Lazio fans protested outside the headquarters of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in Rome on Sunday ahead of their team's clash with Bologna, claiming they have fallen foul to a string of mistakes by video assistant referees (VARs) this season.
Lazio have been vociferous in their condemnation of the technology after feeling its incorrect use has deprived them of points this season, and their coach Simone Inzaghi raised his voice again following Sunday's 1-1 draw.
"We'd have loads more [points without VAR]," Inzaghi told Sky Sport. "Even today I've been told we should have had a penalty, but nobody wanted to have a look at it.
"I was watching the games today and noted how some referees spent more time in front of the screen than on the field -- it's not football how it used to be, regardless of the many points we've lost because of it, which are many.
VAR was introduced in Italy's Serie A at the beginning of the 2017-18 season.
"Our fans protested peacefully, which is Lazio's style, because something is clearly not on. Watching games this season, I've not enjoyed them like I have in recent years. Probably we've just got to get used to it, but we're already seven or eight months into [the VAR] now."
The fans outside the FIGC headquarters called for "respect or it will be war," according to calcioweb.eu.
Lazio believe they have been treated badly by the VAR on numerous occasions, starting with their 1-1 draw with Fiorentina in November, when VAR was used to award a penalty for the Viola, but not for Lazio.
In the 3-1 defeat to Torino, they felt they should have been awarded a penalty for a handball by Iago Falque, but instead a red card was shown to Ciro Immobile for a clash with Nicolas Burdisso prior to the handball.
"I don't want to carry on talking about it, let's move on," added Inzaghi. "But I remain convinced that VAR is taking the excitement out of games."
Ben Gladwell reports on Serie A, the Italian national team and the Bundesliga for ESPN FC, UEFA and the Press Association. @UEFAcomBenG.
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Source: espn.co.uk