I immediately see the next problem with that. The whole stadium looking at their phones is an instant mood killer, and ultra fans won’t do it anyway, they are very traditional and that’s not their way of enjoying a football game. Why not an explanation by the ref over the stadium speakers and replays of the situation on the stadium screen?
Somewhere I read that one concern was a potential lack of facility with whatever the local language is, particularly for international matches. An app would allow for translations.
But that doesn’t explain the Bundesliga, where presumably all referees speak German.
Hasn’t been English lingua franca in football for years like everywhere else? How do refs without English even communicate without English in international games? I guess language shouldn’t be much of a concern.
I’d rather wait that 10 minutes for the correct decision than suffer for 10 years (or more) because of one bad call. Which is what some fanbases still suffer over, bad calls whose ramifications could be felt years or decades later.
Plus, it gives the players’ legs a much-needed rest in the middle of a game.
Announcing a Euro VAR decision in English during a Poland-France match in Paris might come with some issues? It might be lingua franca for players and coaches, I’m less sure about in-stadium fans.
Yeah, you’re right, I didn’t think it through well. What to do? Always let the calls be translated by two interpreters in the respective languages? That would make the process even longer and more complicated, while what most football fans want is to keep the game simple…I’s a dilemma, any way you slice it.
They are already backtracking on this.
Thanks Diego
Leverkusen posing a very credible threat to end Bayern’s reign atop the Bundesliga. 5-point lead but still plenty of games to go.
I’m curious how Bayern will react at Lazio after the devastating 0-3 against Bayer last Saturday. Still 0-0 after 20 minutes.
On another topic entirely: the Chinese now hate Messi, particularly in Hong Kong. Or so social media rant. Quite entertaining, good facepalming exercise:
That happens when you make football a shit show instead of the real deal, the sport. Can’t hide my schadenfreude…
I knew you would enjoy that.
And in Rome in the meantime Lazio is up 1 - 0 and Bayern is down to 10 players after the red card for Upamecano when he fouled Isaksen, leading to the penalty kick.
A reason for even more schadenfreude.
If Bayern don’t make the next round, Tuchel will be out.
ETA: final whistle, 1-0 Lazio, he he.
Hush, you!
That was so miserable.
Sorry, I still can’t decide what’s sweeter, a win for my club Mönchengladbach or a loss for Bayern, any loss, I’m just wired this way, like any non-Bayern German football fan. You love or you hate them, nothing in between. Bayern losses are still rarer, though.
They think players are some kind of robot that will destroy themselves for their amusement.
Just now thought of the best knickname for Mbappe…
KYLIANJARO!
Just…Christ. I mean, seriously. Bochum!?