The semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) that will speed up marginal VAR decisions and provide improved accuracy is set to be used in a UEFA competition for the first time at this month’s Super Cup, the governing body has confirmed.
Real Madrid face Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki next Wednesday with the new tech, which sees specialised cameras positioned across stadiums to track 29 body parts of every player, given its first European run-out following trials in several competitions over the past two years.
"UEFA is constantly looking for new technological solutions to improve the game and support the work of the referees. This innovative system will allow VAR teams to determine offside situations quickly and more accurately, enhancing the flow of the game and the consistency of the decisions," UEFA’s head of referees Roberto Rosetti said.
UEFA said 188 tests have been carried out on SAOT since 2020. These tests took place in all matches in last season's Champions League, the knock-out stage of the Women's Champions League and the Women's European Championship tournament, which England won on Sunday.
But the Super Cup will be its first official use and there are plans for it to be utilised at all Champions League matches from the group stage onwards. "The system is ready to be used in official matches and implemented at each Champions League venue," Rosetti added.
In a briefing at the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, when SAOT was in use for the first time in club fixtures, FIFA’s chief referee Pierluigi Collina scorned at any reference to the technology being a “robot referee”. Instead, he underlined that it is a tool that will be used by the video assistants.
Do you agree with the use of SAOT? Have your say in the comments...
“I know that for headlines ‘robot offside’ or something similar is very easy. But this is not the case,” Collina said. “You have seen that the technology is simply a tool used by a human being. The message is sent to the VAR, the AVAR, they use the information coming from this technology and then they make the final decision.
“There is not any outcome bypassing the match officials on the field of play, off the field of play. They are involved in the decision-making process and they are responsible for the final decision taken. It is still a tool. It is a tool available to increase accuracy and improve the time, something quicker.”
Meanwhile, UEFA also confirmed that English referee Michael Oliver will take charge of the game between Real and Eintracht. Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett will be his assistants.
