Flick criticises VAR “mess” as Spain’s referee body admits technology “failure” in Barça loss | OneFootball

The eight-minute VAR check during Atlético Madrid’s 4-0 win over Barcelona in the Copa del Rey was the result of a “failure in the modelling of players,” according to Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees.

Barcelona had been dominated throughout the first half at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano but emerged stronger after the break, and thought they’d found a way back into the match when Pau Cubarsí poked home from within a crowded penalty area.

But an offside check followed, eventually ruling that the goal should be disallowed.

The Comité Técnico de Árbitros, or CTA, issued a statement confirming that the semi-automated offside technology “generated a failure in the modelling of players” due to the “high density of players” inside the box.

The statement explained that VAR officials tried to recalibrate the system before verifying that it “was not possible” to recover the functionality, ultimately resorting to manually-drawn lines.

The CTA stressed that doing so was “the established procedure” and resulted in the “correct decision” to deny Cubarsí’s goal.

Hansi Flick labelled the delay as “a mess” in his post-match press conference.

He said: “They have to wait seven minutes? Oh, come on.

“When I see this situation, it was clear [there was] no offside. Maybe they could see something different – then tell us!

“[There was] no communication. It’s so bad here.”