UCL: UEFA Removes VAR Official From Champions League Fixture

New Delhi, Nov 29: The VAR official who awarded PSG a penalty in the dying moments of the game against Newcastle United on Tuesday has been removed by UEFA from Wednesday’s fixtures.

UEFA has suspended the VAR who directed the referee to the pitch side monitor prior to Paris Saint-Germain’s late penalty against Newcastle.

In Tuesday’s match, the Magpies had a 1-0 lead over PSG in injury time before Tino Livramento was called for a contentious incident involving ball handling. The spot kick was scored by Kylian Mbappe, which hurt Newcastle’s chances of qualifying.

The VAR who recommended PSG’s contentious injury-time penalty against Newcastle has been removed from duty tonight. Tomasz Kwiatkowski sent Szymon Marciniak to the monitor resulting in PSG’s late equaliser and won’t now officiate Sociedad vs. Salzburg.

(Via: @JacobsBen) pic.twitter.com/LLybAfjIA6

— Global Watch Football (@official_gwf) November 29, 2023

Referee Szymon Marciniak was urged by VAR Tomasz Kwiatkowski to examine the incident on the pitchside monitor after he first dismissed claims for a penalty. After watching the replay, the referee pointed to the spot even though the ball deflected off Livramento’s torso before reaching his arm at close range.

In the last moments, Eddie Howe’s team dropped from second place in Group F to third, as Kylian Mbappe stepped up to convert the penalty kick in the 98th minute, sealing their fate.

The VAR specialist from Poland, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, is no longer listed to work at the Real Sociedad-Salzburg game and has been replaced by a German match official.

Removing the Polish official seems to be a sign that UEFA doesn’t think the penalty was rightly given.

(With IANS Inputs)