Referee draws spray line to halt protests during Nice v Lens VAR check | OneFootball

Referees under constant player pressure are turning to small innovations to keep control. Nice v Lens finished 1-1, and according to L'Équipe, Thomas Léonard used one such tactic during the game.

In the 81st minute, after a Sofiane Diop free-kick, Ali Abdi scored, prompting a VAR discussion. As he conferred, Léonard drew a line on the grass with vanishing spray to create space.

Players initially tried to edge towards him, as often happens, but they eventually complied by standing behind the boundary.

The spray is usually reserved for marking free-kick positions and the wall, not for policing protests.

The improvised barrier gave Léonard the quiet needed to complete his exchange with VAR.

Source: L'Équipe