Rosetti: "VAR Challenge is a risk. Football pace would be upset. I say no to effective time."

Roberto Rosetti has released an interview to Italian newspaper "La Stampa". We have translated it for you. 

2025 will be the eighth year for Rosetti as UEFA Head of Referees

Rosetti: "VAR Challenge is a risk. Football pace would be upset. I say no to effective time."

The Head of UEFA Referees: "Turning off VAR today would be impossible even to think. I would have liked to use it at WC 2010: all people watching that game were aware about Tévez offside, unless me".

«Every now and then I remember the faces of those who were listening about VAR for the first ime... they were a bit dazed, but for me the future was already written».  Roberto Rosetti, today is the head of UEFA refereeing with the task of growing and choosing referees for international games. But the former referee from Turin was the closest person to all to the steps that opened football to technology, like never happened before.

Who were those people with dazed faces? 

«They were the Italian referees: I had been appointed as the head of the VAR project for our championship and our championship was burning the stages to give the green light to the great revolution. We made it one season before the expected.  Then, thanks to them, the first year of VAR in Italy was extraordinary»

VAR yes, VAR no, VAR stop?

«Turning off VAR is something you can't even think about today. Let’s imagine what football would be, if we deleted everything  done in recent years. Chaos».

VAR yes, VAR no, VAR Challenge? 

«Football has its pace, progress and it's a sport made of unpredictable aspects. There is a subjective interpretation about most of the rules.  In European competitions we have a VAR intervention every three matches, then you surely know that every possible situation is checked (this year in 660 matches with VAR, 3020 checks, 214 interventions). I ask you a question: if coaches or captains were given the possibility of calling technology  interventions twice per match, are we sure that the fluidity of the game itself would not be affected? A clear mistake by referee can also happen when the chances to call a challenge are over for the teams, so?».

It could be used in a “tactical” way. Right?

«It could happen, to use it  to break the inertia of a game and the rhythm of the opponent or something else. It could generate more misunderstandings than clarity».

So, it’s better not to go further?

«The rules are modified by the IFAB, the true guardian of the rules of the game. I just make a reflection».

We imagine this reflection is shared by most of people…

«The possible change, among other things, would modify the use of VAR as we know it: the ball to the coach-captains or the ball to the call as per the current protocol. Both together would not be feasible, it would distort football».

What do you think about effective time?

«On this aspect I think we are far from a possible introduction: effective time does not fit with football»

At FIFA 2022 WC in Qatar, added times lasted even ten, fifteen minutes, and more, over 90 minutes.

«We are satisfied with the average in UEFA competitions, almost 60 minutes in Champions League, and we have been working for years on speeding up the restarts of play. Proactive referees, fewer pauses, more pace and emotions».

The captain, and only the captain, can ask the referee for explanations: which evaluation do you give to the innovation introduced with the European Championship last June?

«High, very high evaluation, a simple but crucial project for the image of football that has a fundamental educational purpose for future generations of players  and referees. And we are only at the beginning. We can no longer tolerate mobbing of referees».

If I ask you what VAR means according to your idea, having known every angle of it since the first day?

«For me, VAR is Argentina-Mexico, the 2010 World Cup round of 16. South American team scores the 1-0 goal in offside, the whole world can review it, but not me, the match's referee. Absurd!».

A mistake?

«A mistake. I went home, I think the final of that World Cup would have been mine without the offside mistake...».

A mistake, all right. Let's change perspective: your perfect match?

«European Championships 2008, Germany-Spain: the final is played, and after the final whistle no one mentioned the referee... ».

The person who gave you the prize was Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany. The TV images focused on your, not short, conversation: what did you say to her?

«I don't remember... just remember that she was very kind»

Back to the pitch. What aspect of your job keeps you busier than  others?

«We work obsessively to ensure uniformity in application of the rules. We have ideas and strategies. And the results are excellent, despite the fact that the individual referees come from every European nation: the competence of my committee, the seminars and the UEFA referees academy are the key».

Is it true that in Italy referees give penalties that are not called in the international games?

«I can only say that for us a penalty is something serious: that should involve a clear foul committed by the defender».

Let's go back to the current time: Serie A is far from the Champions League, a very discussed argument. 

«It's not like that: just look at the latest data. Serie A has come close to the average of the Champions League in recent years. Gianluca Rocchi works in our direction, the confrontation between us  is continuous...»

Which qualities should a "Rosetti" referee have?

«A top athlete who decides, always, on the pitch, with great personality, total knowledge of football: the VAR is not expected, it is just a further help».

How many referees are decision-makers and with personality?

«There are for sure many. And not just the old or experienced ones: young people up to the task are growing».

Orsato has retired.

«Orsato is a legend for us».

You are from Turin. And Turin has always had a notable tradition with referees, what happens under the "Mole"? 

«The school of those who were here before us, can be felt in the air, it's strong and it gives you a sense of belonging. No secrets».

Any name? 

«Antonio Trono and Maurizio Laudi were surely my professors».

VAR yes, VAR no, and.. what is  the “light” VAR?

«A monitor on the edge of the pitch with two technicians: that’s why it’s called light VAR. It cuts the costs and is easily implementable from the point of view of the tools: the experimentation is underway, it will help countries with fewer resources than the well-known leagues. VAR is something else».

So, the dazed faces you were watching years ago, have definitely disappeared now. 

«Of course. They did it quickly. I have never understood, and I will never understand, those who talk about the fact that the referees would be against VAR. Fairy tales»

You followed the project for the introduction of VAR on the pitch in Italy. Do you remember the first informal steps of the great revolution?

«Yes».

Where?

«A seminar in Netherlands on March 2014, we were there.  For Italy, President Tavecchio and Michele Uva, they  immediately believed in it.».

The last question is the most painful: violence against referees.

« A plague. At UEFA level we are doing a great job on the topic (the UEFA Refereeing Campaign) and something is changing because, in the end, the passion of those who want to enter in the world of rules prevails. One thing must be clear: we need very firm and strong  sanctions, anyone who touches the referees should never enter a stadium again. The real turning point? The referee should be seen as a public official for the entire progress of a match».