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VAR is a flip of a coin, says Guardiola
TL;DR
Pep Guardiola criticized VAR, likening its decision-making to a 'flip of a coin' and expressing his lack of trust in the system since its introduction in England. He highlighted Manchester City's past grievances with VAR in FA Cup finals.
Key points
- Pep Guardiola criticized VAR decision-making.
- He compared VAR to a 'flip of a coin'.
- Guardiola has never trusted VAR since its introduction.
- Manchester City faced VAR issues in FA Cup finals.
- A recent VAR decision impacted a Premier League match.
Manchester CityWest HamArsenal
Manchester City believe they have been on the wrong end of VAR calls in the past two FA Cup finals [Getty Images]
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has compared video assistant referee decision-making to the "flip of a coin" and says he has never trusted the system since it was introduced in England.
VAR has come under renewed scrutiny this week with a stoppage-time goal for West Ham against Arsenal ruled out following a lengthy review - a decision which had an impact at both ends of the Premier League table.
Guardiola believes his side have been on the wrong end of referee decisions and cited calls in his side's FA Cup final defeats in 2024 and 2025.
"We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didn't do their jobs they should do, even the VAR," the Spaniard said.
City lost to Crystal Palace in last year's final, with the Eagles' goalkeeper Dean Henderson saving a penalty.
But the England man could have seen red for handling outside the area, which may have changed the outcome of the game.
That came after City were left aggrieved following the previous year's loss to Manchester United, believing they should have been awarded two penalties in the game.
Q&A
What did Pep Guardiola say about VAR?
Pep Guardiola compared VAR decision-making to a 'flip of a coin' and stated he has never trusted the system since its introduction.
How has VAR affected Manchester City in recent FA Cup finals?
Guardiola mentioned that Manchester City has been on the wrong end of VAR calls during their FA Cup final defeats in 2024 and 2025.
What recent VAR incident has sparked controversy in the Premier League?
A stoppage-time goal for West Ham against Arsenal was ruled out after a lengthy VAR review, raising questions about the system's effectiveness.