VAR Controversy: Lewandowski’s Disallowed Goal and Its Implications

Refereeing decisions have long been a point of contention for coaches and club officials, and the introduction of VAR hasn’t alleviated these grievances. Whenever a contentious decision arises, you can be sure one team will voice its discontent.

Generally, fans adopt a detached stance, viewing complaints as part of the game or simply the frustrations of biased supporters.

However, a recent incident involving Robert Lewandowski’s disallowed goal during Barcelona’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad gained notable attention online, raising valid questions about the fairness of the call.

This particular situation revealed significant shortcomings in the newly implemented semi-automated offside technology, designed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of VAR decisions.

In the 13th minute, Lewandowski seemed poised to score, but his goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review. The technology indicated that Lewandowski’s toe was marginally beyond the last defender, Nayef Aguerd.

However, a detailed look at the incident suggests the automated system made a critical mistake.

A keen observer on social media shared a zoomed-in shot of the moment alongside a digitally generated image used by VAR. This comparison highlights how the system confused the players’ intertwined arms, indicating a flaw in the technology’s ability to distinguish body parts when in close proximity.

Lo de amputarle el brazo a Lewandowski e implantárselo al jugador de la Real es de charlotada total, qué grotesco. pic.twitter.com/k1jA78CnrD

— Zona Blaugrana (@Zona_Blaugrana) November 11, 2024

When translating this to the incident, it becomes evident that the system may have misidentified Lewandowski’s foot as Aguerd’s due to their proximity. The actual image suggests it would be nearly impossible for Lewandowski’s foot to be offside.

In reaction to the event, conflicting images emerged on social media. Some defended the VAR decision, while others criticized it. Dale Johnson, an ESPN rules expert, remarked that the semi-automated offside technology mistakenly identified the players, leading to what likely was an incorrect offside ruling.

If the image showing the supposed ‘arm swap’ is authentic, it lends credence to Barcelona’s concerns post-match. Head coach Hansi Flick called it “a huge mistake,” while sporting director Deco had even more to express.

Deco questioned the very purpose of a “semi-automatic” system, expressing confusion about the accuracy of player identification. He stated, “We need clarity on this situation. What exactly went wrong? If there’s an error, we need to understand it. If not, that’s fine, but the ambiguity surrounding this technology is troubling.”

He further emphasized that the need for improvements is universal across all teams, as a flawed system could impact any club, not just Barcelona.

Semi-automated offside technology has been adopted in various top leagues and international competitions; however, some leagues like the Premier League have deferred its use pending additional testing.

Deco concluded by noting that while some aspects of VAR have improved, it has not entirely resolved the issues it was designed to tackle. Controversial decisions continue to plague the sport.

This defeat marked Barcelona’s second domestic loss of the season, allowing Real Madrid to narrow the points gap at the top of the league to six.