Guardiola slams Premier League VAR decisions a like ‘flipping a coin’

Spanish coach Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, has cast doubt on the reliability of VAR, suggesting that refereeing decisions in English football have become akin to “flipping a coin” – a striking expression of his loss of confidence in the refereeing system despite the technical advances that are supposed to minimise errors.

According to the Guardian, Guardiola went into the match against Crystal Palace feeling deeply frustrated with video technology, insisting that Manchester City no longer has the luxury of waiting for refereeing fairness, but must now decide matches through their performance on the pitch, free from any considerations linked to referees or VAR screens.

He said:

I never trust anything since I arrived [at City] a long time ago. Always I learned you have do it better – be in a position to do it better because [if not] you blame yourself with what you have to do, because [VAR] is a flip of a coin. You have to do better and better for yourself, and that is focusing on Crystal Palace for us

Guardiola speaks out

The Spanish manager said that reliance on technology has not brought the clarity expected to English football, but has instead increased controversy and uncertainty, with divisive decisions continuing week after week.

Guardiola’s comments came after the recent refereeing storm following the disallowed West Ham United goal against Arsenal, an incident that has reignited the debate over the effectiveness of video technology and the limits of its intervention in major matches.

According to the report, the Manchester City manager still believes his team has paid the price for influential refereeing decisions over the past two seasons, including in the FA Cup final, but this time he chose to deliver his message directly: the only way to avoid the injustice of decisions is through overwhelming dominance on the pitch.

Featured image via the Canary