“He always lowers his hand, he doesn’t open it and he doesn’t raise it”

One of the actions of the 2-0 victory of Atlético de Madrid in The Palms It came eleven minutes into the game and then the first tie was still at zero. A center in the area of Antoine Griezmann hit the hand of the defender of the Canarian club, McKenna. The referee From Burgos Bengoechea It does not indicate anything but, in reviewing the play as it is a possible penalty and according to the VAR protocol; Javier Iglesias Villanueva received the indication, designated as VAR. The Galician urges the field referee to go to the monitor to review the action as he understands that there may be a foul on the defender and the subsequent penalty in favor of the defender. Atlético de Madrid: “Richie I recommend an OFR (on field review) so you can check a possible hand.” In the background you can hear the Basque referee in the background: “Don’t worry, don’t worry.”

While From Burgos He goes to the monitor and confirms that he can see it while asking for “quiet”, in the background you can hear from the room. VOR how they prepare the image: “with the goal line and then we have the reverse.” In the background you can hear complaints from even Simeone himself asking for a hand from the Basque referee.

Once he’s in front of the monitor, he asks to put it on “dynamic. Put it in dynamic at 50%. Okay? Once again, slower, and from another angle I need it.”

It is then when from VAR the camera plane changes. From Burgos He continues requesting more images of the impact: “Put me 16, put me 16. Put me 16, put me 16 please.” Photo matching camera from offside and slow down. It was after De Burgos confirmed his initial decision: “Look Havi, in this dynamic it seems to me that the defender’s action is to lower his hand. I don’t see any further movement. towards the ball, the hand he had it all the time, he didn’t open it and he didn’t raise it. To which Iglesias Villanueva responded: “Perfect Richie thank you very much”.

In this way Richard of Burgos maintains his initial review decision in front of the monitor of Metropolitan Stadiumthe request of the VAR assistant was withdrawn.

A decision that was right, according to sources consulted by MD. McKenna He does not occupy any unnatural space with his arm, and that would be grounds for infringement. In the picture you can see that the player raises his arm and the ball hits his hand. The standard says it’s a hand when “the hand or arm is clearly far and clear from the body” or when “it is clearly clear above the shoulder.” So, the decision of the Basque international referee is correct and it is the referee of VAR misled the on-field referee by suggesting he go for review.