Spanish Referees' Committee Admits VAR Error in Elche's Match
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Spain's Technical Committee of Referees admitted that Israeli defender Roi Rebibo was wrongly denied a penalty during Elche's 0-0 draw with Villarreal. The committee stated that VAR's intervention to overturn the referee's initial penalty call was a mistake. This ruling confirms that Elche should have been awarded a penalty and Villarreal's Alberto Moleiro should have received a yellow card.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Spanish referees' committee admits VAR error denied Israeli player Roi Rebibo a penalty.
- The committee ruled Rebibo should have received a penalty and Alberto Moleiro a yellow card.
- VAR's intervention to overturn the referee's initial penalty call was deemed incorrect.
- Spanish media had previously criticized the VAR decision, stating it "saved Villarreal."
- Elche coach Martín Anselmi expressed certainty that the foul should have been a penalty.
Spain's Technical Committee of Referees has acknowledged that Israeli defender Roi Rebibo was denied a penalty and that VAR's intervention was incorrect during Elche's recent 0-0 draw against Villarreal. The committee determined that Rebibo should have been awarded a penalty and that Villarreal player Alberto Moleiro should have received a yellow card for pulling Rebibo's jersey inside the penalty area.
Initially, referee Victor Garcia pointed to the penalty spot, but after VAR's review, he overturned his decision. The committee's analysis, published as part of a program reviewing controversial incidents, concluded that the original call was correct and the VAR intervention was unwarranted.
This ruling confirms that Elche was wrongly denied a penalty opportunity. The committee's findings were reported on the "Time for Review" program, which analyzes contentious moments from the latest round of matches.
Following the game, Spanish media, including the newspaper "AS," had already criticized the VAR decision, with "AS" stating that "VAR saved Villarreal" due to the clear jersey pull. Elche's coach, Martín Anselmi, also expressed his frustration, saying, "I was sure it was a penalty."
The official confirmation validates the belief that Rebibo was fouled and that his team was deprived of a chance to score from the spot.
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