Heading into the FA Cup fifth round clash at Huddersfield Town, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said that he was a fan of VAR (Video Assistant Referee).
Just before halftime of their 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town, to advance to the tournament quarterfinals, United saw a Juan Mata goal overturned due to VAR. Mata was only offsides by the slimmest of margins, and it was certainly a borderline call. Now that the system has cost his side a goal, albeit in a match that they won handily, what does Mourinho think of the technology?
Jose Mourinho, also known as one of the "best behaved" managers in the EPL this season, accepts the controversial VAR decision that went against Manchester United. pic.twitter.com/g1Yhz41ycR
— GOAL (@goal) February 17, 2018
Mourinho maintains that the call was not a clear and obvious situation, and thus in violation of the VAR protocol.
“It is amazing when the truth comes,” Mourinho said, “but also (there are) problems and one of the problems is exactly what happened today, which goes a little bit against the words of the protocol.”
“The words of the protocol are something like a clear and obvious situation and for sure it was not a clear and obvious situation, but we know that it is experimental, and we have to accept,” the Portugese continued, “but I am speaking after a 2-0 victory.”
Mourinho was in a very good mood, as his side had just emerged victorious. He was then asked whether his take on VAR would be different had it cost United the game.
He laughed as he then referenced one of his recently stated goals for this season.
“I am close to winning the best-behaved manager in the Premier League, so nothing that can make me lose that trophy this season,” he said with a grin.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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