VAR Makes Football Less Competitive – Thiago

Liverpool midfielder, Thiago Alcantara has come out to say that he hates modern football. The Spanish midfielder recently revealed that he believes VAR is damaging the game.

According to him, the technology is clearly making football lose its competitiveness, and extra substitutions only make things easier for teams.

Thiago added that the truth is VAR removes the essence of football and this is not good for the sport.

His words, “Coaches can communicate with us better, players can communicate with each other more.”

“You lose competitiveness but develop other aspects. Extra substitutions mean teams that defend, defend to the 90th minute; teams that press you, press you to the end.”

“I have that ‘hate modern football’ mentality; I’m more classic in attitude. And then there’s VAR, which I’ve always opposed. It removes the essence, the picaresque.”

“We make mistakes when we play, referees have to make mistakes too. Lots of mythical moments wouldn’t exist [with VAR]. And when you score, even a brilliant goal from the halfway line, you’re waiting. Thinking: ‘I hope there isn’t a foul in the build-up, I hope there’s no offside, I hope’.”

“It’s taken up a different pace, rhythm: more accelerated, more physical,”

“The figure of the No. 10 has almost disappeared. We see less magic, less fantasy. Footballers do more but faster. There’s no need to dribble because you run.”

“Players are more developed in every sense. You lose that player who’s different, who ‘breathes’; the playmaker who was slower even if he had sublime technique doesn’t get the opportunity to turn.”

“Those of us who are not so fast with our legs have to be faster in our heads. It’s like anything in life: adaptation. Things keep moving. Football changes constantly, expressed differently.”