Prem refs under pressure to change VAR system to fall in line with Champions League

PREM refs’ chiefs are under pressure to change the way they operate VAR before the system has even started in the League.

Refs’ boss Mike Riley told his men in black to accept the verdict of VAR officials on “judgement” calls rather than looking at pitchside monitors during this season’s FA Cup and Carabao Cup ties.

Riley, backed by the Premier League, believes trusting VAR refs speeds up the decision-making process as no officials would undermine their colleagues by giving them wrong advice.

But the policy has fallen foul of Uefa, who feel that the on-field ref needs to be seen to make the “final decision” for himself instead of being guided to a ruling.

Uefa’s top ref, Italian Roberto Rosetti, is demanding the Prem falls into line with the way the system is being used in the Champions League.

And while Riley would prefer to stick with his approach, it appears that Uefa’s clout — and the potential damage to Prem refs when it comes to Champions League appointments next term — will force a climbdown.

INFANTINO QUIZZED

FIFA No 1 Gianni Infantino is being asked what he knew about the FBI-led raids that brought down predecessor Sepp Blatter.

Swiss Infantino jumped from Uefa to head the world game after Blatter’s 17-year reign was ended after police raided Fifa’s main Zurich hotel in 2015.

But it has emerged that Infantino has had THREE meetings with Switzerland’s chief prosecutor Peter Lauber since the fall of the Blatter regime.

One suspicion being voiced is Infantino is using his relationship with Lauber to silently close down the Swiss element of the investigation into Fifa’s financial dealings in the Blatter era.

FOXES AND GLADIATORS

LEICESTER defender Christian Fuchs is thinking of a virtual future with plans to build a 1,000-seater arena for gamers.

Fuchs, set to move back to join his family in New York at the end of the season, has invested in a stable of Fifa-playing gamers as part of his No Fuchs Given business empire.

But his project is a proposed 36-acre complex centred around the indoor arena.

Fuchs said: “I can picture an arena, like a football pitch with players in the middle like gladiators.”

NOT QUITE KISS AND MAKE UP

WARRING PFA bosses Gordon Taylor and Ben Purkiss shared a table and the stage at the union’s annual bash on Sunday.

Taylor gave an unexpected opening address before a video was played in which he praised “the best staff in the sporting world” and pushed the new anti-racism campaign #enough.

PFA chairman Purkiss said he was “proud to be steering football in the right direction” before giving a “thank you” list that omitted Taylor’s name.

BEER TO STAY

IT’S bottoms up at Spurs.
The beer-filling system at the new stadium is a hit.

In the first home game against Crystal Palace 60,000 pints were sunk.