Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has voiced his strong dissatisfaction with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
Guardiola stated before the Premier League season finale, «I haven’t trusted anyone since I came here a long time ago. I’ve learned that you always have to do better yourself, because VAR is like a coin toss.»
The video assistant referee has recently been a subject of debate in England, particularly after a goal by West Ham against City’s league title rivals Arsenal was disallowed in stoppage time due to an alleged foul.
Guardiola himself pointed to the 2024 and 2025 FA Cup finals as examples where the VAR system has not led to improvements. «We lost both finals because the referees didn’t do their job – and the VAR didn’t either,» he said.
In the 2024 final, City twice unsuccessfully claimed a penalty in their defeat against local rivals United. Last season, in the final against Crystal Palace, Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson committed a handball offense outside his penalty area with no repercussions.
Pep Guardiola Demands Improvement from Man City
For City’s league match against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, the referee appointed was Stuart Atwell, who also officiated the FA Cup final against Palace. Guardiola urged his team to improve to minimize the impact of any questionable decisions on the outcome of the game. «The less the Premier League interferes with decisions, the better it is for all of us,» the Spaniard commented.
City Faces Tougher Title Race Against Arsenal
With two games remaining in the Premier League, City is in a title race with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Guardiola’s team is currently two points behind the Gunners, who are set to play Burnley at home on Monday, while City will face Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Upcoming Manchester City Matches:
| Date & Time | Match |
|---|---|
| May 16, 4 PM | Manchester City — Chelsea (FA Cup Final) |
| May 19, 8:30 PM | Bournemouth — Manchester City |
| May 24, 5 PM | Manchester City — Aston Villa |