Celtic hero Jota has warned the introduction of Video Assistant Referees will damage the domestic game in Scotland.
The £6.5 million Celtic hero encountered VAR in the Portuguese top flight with Benfica and Spain’s La Liga during a loan spell with Valladolid. He also experienced it in Champions League and Europa League action, including with Celts last season.
Now it’s set to be phased into the cinch Premiership and final stages of the Premier Sports Cup following the World Cup Finals in December. But Jota doesn’t want it and criticised the technology for destroying many delights of the sport. He reckons its often a passion killer for goal-grabbers like him who feel they can’t celebrate until a VAR check has examined the build-up to a goal. And he stressed that human error by players, managers and officials should remain a fundamental part of football’s appeal to all.
When asked about VAR being phased in for a staggered start this mid-season, Jota said: “I have heard about that. I don’t like it. I think it is ruining football and I am totally against it. That’s my personal opinion. I am evaluating this from every angle - as a fan, as a footballer, everything. I think football is much more than that. Nowadays we try to complicate what is simple.
“But I guess it’s not up to me to make those decisions. Football is about mistakes, it’s about errors. Everyone will make mistakes. I will make mistakes; the referees will make mistakes and the coaches too. That’s the beauty of it. Because, if there is a mistake, then someone is going to take an opportunity.”
The Portuguese winger completed his long-awaited permanent transfer from Benfica on Friday, signing a five-year Parkhead contract. He scored 13 goals, contributed multiple assists in a spectacular loan season of 2021/22 and produced many more thrills for a captivated Celtic Park crowd.
The 23-year-old says he has no wish for VAR checks to regularly disrupt that feeling of goalscoring joy in front of 60,000 adoring Celtic fans. Jota stressed: “The delay is something I really don’t like. Of course, it doesn’t make sense. But I guess this is what we have now.”
VAR technology was officially voted through by 41 of Scotland’s 42 member clubs.
Top flight outfits will cover the £1.2 million cost per season on a sliding scale, with the Premiership champions footing the largest slice of the bill.
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