Manchester City lost to Real Madrid 2-3 in the UEFA Champions League. The match took place on Tuesday. Manchester City was winning 2-1 with just five minutes left. Erling Haaland scored both of City’s goals. However, late goals from Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham gave Real Madrid the win. If Manchester City continues in the competition, they will earn a lot of prize money.
The match started poorly for Manchester City, but they gained control as the game went on. Haaland scored, and Jack Grealish helped by keeping possession of the ball. However, Grealish had to leave the game after just 30 minutes due to an injury. Phil Foden replaced him, but no one knew exactly what caused the injury at the time.
Alan Shearer, who was commentating for Amazon Prime, thinks he saw the moment when Grealish got hurt. He said it happened during a VAR check that lasted over three minutes. While the players waited for the decision, they stood still in the cold. Shearer believes this long wait made the players’ muscles stiffen, which led to Grealish’s injury.
Shearer is the all-time top scorer in the Premier League. He said that elite athletes cannot stand still in cold weather for too long without it affecting their performance. He pointed out that it was not surprising that Grealish got injured after the long VAR review. He also said that it is not acceptable for players to be forced to wait around in such conditions.
Phil Foden made a good impression after he came on to replace Grealish. He forced a good save from Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. He also won the penalty that led to Haaland’s second goal. Foden showed that he could step up in Grealish’s place.
This is not the first time Alan Shearer has criticized long VAR checks. In January, he discussed it on “The Rest is Football” podcast with Gary Lineker and Micah Richards. Shearer mentioned that VAR reviews often take several minutes, during which players are left standing still. He wondered if this might be causing more injuries. He said that players are elite athletes, but when they stand around doing nothing for several minutes, it could lead to problems. When they suddenly have to sprint after waiting around, they may be more likely to get hurt.
Shearer made a good point about the impact of long VAR checks on players’ health. He said it would be better for players if the VAR process was quicker. The delays caused by VAR reviews disrupt the flow of the game and could be putting players at risk of injury.
Shearer is not the only one to notice the effect of VAR on the game. Many others have also discussed how the technology is slowing down the pace of matches. Some believe that the time spent waiting for VAR decisions is making the game less exciting and more difficult for the players. The slow pace could also be leading to more injuries, especially in situations where players are forced to stop moving for long periods.
The longer VAR reviews go on, the more likely players are to get injured. This is because they have to stand around without warming up or stretching their muscles. In a fast-paced game like football, players need to stay warm and keep their muscles loose. Long pauses in play can have a negative effect on their physical condition.
As the game continues to evolve with technology, there needs to be a balance between using VAR and keeping the flow of the game intact. It is important to make sure that technology is used in a way that benefits the game without harming the players. A faster VAR process would help keep the game moving and reduce the risk of injuries.
Some people believe that the current VAR system is too slow and needs to be improved. The technology is meant to help referees make better decisions, but it should not cause unnecessary delays. It’s crucial to find ways to speed up the process without compromising the accuracy of the decisions.
The issue of VAR and its impact on players’ health is something that needs to be taken seriously. Players are already at risk of injury due to the physical nature of the sport. Adding extra delays into the game could make matters worse. The governing bodies of football should consider making changes to the VAR process to ensure that it does not have negative consequences for the players.
In conclusion, Alan Shearer’s comments about the impact of VAR on players’ injuries highlight an important issue in modern football. While technology is important for ma∞king fair decisions, it should not slow down the game or put players at risk. The VAR process needs to be faster, and more consideration should be given to the physical condition of the players during reviews. Football is a fast-paced and demanding sport, and players need to be able to stay active and ready to perform. Finding a solution to the delays caused by VAR would be beneficial for both the players and the game itself.
