André Villas-Boas challenges VAR laments and criticises Sporting-aligned pressure on referees | OneFootball

FC Porto president André Villas-Boas has hit back at suggestions rivals would have won more titles had VAR arrived earlier, pointing to Porto’s history and accusing some of shaping narratives around refereeing.

According to O Jogo, writing in Dragões magazine, he countered that Porto’s record stands either way, listing the European Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup, Europa League and the Intercontinental Cup twice, plus domestic titles won in runs up to penta.

He also recalled the Taça de Portugal semi-final at the Dragão, when Sporting avoided the usual entrance by the display of Porto’s seven international trophies, which he framed as dodging the club’s history.

He criticised what he sees as a lack of clear impartiality this season, saying the distortion of public opinion has been prioritised over respect for institutions and people, and adding this extends to referees who inadvertently err against Sporting.

In his view, channels aligned to the green shirt forensically pick over officials’ calls as if mistakes betray a Lisbon club, using public pressure to correct games. He called this a new system that conditions perceptions, atmospheres and decisions, with controversies from penalties to rebounds to the pedagogical card and the white card leaving the game’s truth hostage to narratives fed into studios and some newsrooms.

Source: O Jogo