Dermot Gallagher explains VAR Overruled Brighton Penalty Claim against Brentford

• Referee Andy Madley became the first in the Premier League to reject a VAR review for a second time, denying Brighton a penalty against Brentford.
• The incident occurred during a goalless draw and was the first time a referee was sent to the monitor to give a penalty and restarted the match with a free-kick to the defending team.
• Dermot Gallagher explained that VAR’s role is to identify potential penalties, but it cannot judge whether a foul has occurred, which is the referee’s responsibility.
• This incident underscores the importance of referees making decisions based on their on-field observations, despite the availability of VAR technology.

Dermot Gallagher explains VAR Overruled Brighton Penalty Claim against Brentford, In a match between Brentford and Brighton that ended in a goalless draw, a significant incident involving Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology and the interpretation of the rules by the referee and VAR officials highlighted the complexities of modern football officiating. The incident revolved around a potential penalty claim by Brighton against Brentford, which was ultimately denied by the referee, Andy Madley, after a VAR review.

The incident occurred during a corner kick when Brighton’s Yoane Wissa was pulled down by Brentford’s Lewis Dunk inside the penalty area. The VAR official, Michael Oliver, sent the referee to the pitchside monitor to review the incident. This was the first time in the Premier League that a referee was sent to the monitor to give a penalty and restarted the match with a free-kick to the defending team.

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Andy Madley, after reviewing the incident, overruled the VAR’s recommendation to award a penalty to Brighton. He ruled that Dunk had initiated contact first, which is a crucial aspect of determining whether a penalty should be awarded. This decision was based on the referee’s interpretation of the incident, which was that Dunk had fouled Wissa before Wissa pulled him down in the penalty area.

This decision was met with mixed reactions from both managers. Thomas Frank of Brentford praised the referee’s decision, stating it was a “fantastic decision” and that the protocol was followed correctly. He acknowledged the complexity of the situation but felt that the outcome was justified. On the other hand, Roberto De Zerbi of Brighton expressed that the referee was correct in his decision, although he was surprised by the VAR’s decision being overruled. He noted that his assistant had informed him that Dunk had made a foul, but he had not seen the referee change the VAR’s decision before.

The match itself was characterized by a lack of clear desire to win, with both teams failing to create clear scoring opportunities despite Brighton having a significant amount of possession and registering 22 shots. The incident with the VAR and the subsequent decision by the referee were the main talking points of the game, highlighting the importance of VAR technology in modern football and the challenges it presents for referees and VAR officials in making accurate decisions.

The incident involving the VAR review and the subsequent decision by the referee to deny Brighton a penalty against Brentford showcased the intricacies of modern football officiating. It underscored the importance of clear communication between referees and VAR officials, as well as the need for referees to make decisions based on the best interpretation of the rules and the evidence available to them.

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