Carlos Barbosa da Cruz says VAR fear led to decision against Sporting | OneFootball

Carlos Barbosa da Cruz believes that the climate of media and institutional pressure in Portuguese football continues to influence refereeing decisions to the detriment of Sporting. In an opinion piece published in the newspaper Record after the draw between Sporting and Gil Vicente, the lawyer argues that the VAR chose to remain silent on a decisive play out of fear of external consequences.

The issue concerns the equalizing goal by the Barcelos team, preceded by an unsanctioned foul on Alisson Santos: “I bet that VAR Vasco Santos detected the foul on Alisson, which preceded Gil Vicente's equalizing goal,” writes Carlos Barbosa da Cruz, adding that he believes the VAR “considered alerting the referee and advising him to annul the play.”

However, according to the author, this intention was halted by a context of intimidation present in national football. “His subconscious, however, dissuaded him,” he states, describing a scenario in which the VAR anticipates “the statement that Benfica would immediately publish, harshly criticizing him for yet another favoring of Sporting.”

Carlos Barbosa da Cruz also points to the role of commentators and former referees who dominate the media space: “Then he considered the multitude of former referees, omnipresent in the media and supposedly impartial, who would crucify him,” he writes, also mentioning “the myriad of television and radio commentators who would accuse him, day after day, of all the evils of hell.”

In the text, the commentator associated with Sporting extends the criticism to media coverage and certain television channels, evoking “the unsuspecting hosts of CMTV, always sharp-tongued in everything related to bringing down Sporting,” as well as the predictable reactions of rival managers and coaches.

More seriously, according to Carlos Barbosa da Cruz, are the personal consequences that this type of controversy can generate for referees. The columnist mentions the fear of seeing “his name dragged through the mud on social media,” receiving “threatening messages,” and even seeing “his children mocked at school.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.