Euro 2022: Sweden’s Kosovare Asllani slams 'catastrophic' use of VAR

Sweden’s Kosovare Asllani has described the use of VAR at Euro 2022 as ‘a catastrophe’.

The 32-year-old forward complained to reporters ahead of Sweden’s semi-final clash against England. 

She took issue with the amount of VAR cameras in use at Euro 2022, particularly in comparison to the number in operation during a men’s tournament. 

“Using 50% fewer cameras in our tournament than the men’s game, that is a catastrophe really,” Asllani said. 

“The decisions can’t be made with the same precision. It’s not just for us, for other teams too. There are situations where I think you should have more cameras, that can be really decisive.”

Sweden have been subject to a number of VAR decisions during Euro 2022, with five goals ruled out by the technology across their four games. 

This includes Rebecka Blomqvist’s effort against Switzerland in the group stage, which was deemed to be offside. Goalkeeper Zećira Mušović later claimed the offside line had not been drawn in the correct place.

This grievance was then repeated by Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson when Stina Blackstenius’s quarter-final goal against Belgium was ruled offside. 

“That line is completely wrong,” Eriksson told the Swedish newspaper Expressen. “You should draw the line at the penultimate player’s most defensive point but, if the ball is in front of that player, then it is the ball’s most offensive point that counts. 

“But in this case the video referee has drawn the line from the ball’s most defensive point, alternatively from the penultimate player’s forehead. But in any case both are wrong.”

Our goal yesterday that VAR ruled out because of offside, but where the offside line has been drawn on the wrong (