Top 10 VAR controversies

There have been plenty of VAR controversies since its introduction

Wednesday night's drama in Paris is not the first time the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has been involved in controversy.

Manchester United stunned Paris Saint - Germain by becoming the first team in the history of the Champions League to advance to the next round having lost in the first leg of a knockout match by two or more goals at home.

However, the visitors relied on Marcus Rashford's late penalty, awarded by Presnel Kimpembe for handball after the VAR's intervention, to promote to the last eight of Europe's premier club competition.

The champions of the Ligue 1 were furious at the spot kick award, with their injured forward Neymar calling it a "disgrace," but it's just the latest in a long line of controversy involving the VAR ...

1) ' You're not giving such a penalty in a World Cup final '

2018 World Cup Football VAR

When the VAR took center stage in Moscow, the 2018 World Cup final was delicately balanced at 1 - 1 approaching half - time.

A corner from the right was flicked on by Blaise Matuidi and the ball struck Ivan Perisic's hand, although the midfielder seemed to know little about it.

Referee Nestor Pitana initially signaled for just one corner, but a VAR review was initiated and after watching numerous replays, the Argentine reversed his original decision and awarded the penalty after consulting pitch - side replays converted by Antoine Griezmann.

However, Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic disagreed with the decision, saying: "I never comment on refereeing, but let me say one phrase: you don't give such a penalty in a World Cup final."

2) Paris Match

MANU vs PSG VAR

United somehow got the better of PSG on away goals last Wednesday night in the Champions League but only after they got a controversial injury - time penalty in the second leg at the Parc des Princes.

The decision came after PSG defender Kimpembe was finally penalized for handball as referee Damir Skomina ruled that after watching replays he had blocked the shot of Diogo Dalot with his arm.

According to Dermot Gallagher, the spot kick would never be given in the Premier League, though, even when VAR comes to England.

3) VAR's international debut

The VAR in use at the 2017 Confederations Cup

During the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia our first look at the VAR in the international arena came, although it did not go smoothly.

During the tournament, there were numerous hiccups, culminating in referee Milorad Mazic failing to upgrade the yellow card given to Chile's Gonzalo Jara to a red for what appeared to be a clear elbow on German striker Timo Werner.

The official finally consulted the technology after complaints from Germany. But he chose not to send Jara off despite the evidence.

"Other sports have to look at it and think about what a joke football is," Lee Dixon, former defender of the arsenal, told ITV.

"Everyone in the box who thinks it's a yellow card should be locked up, put in a van, and somewhere driven away."

4) Tunisia get shirty with Kane

Harry Kane goes down in the area against Tunisia

After failing to award Gareth Southgate's side two penalties, England's opening group - stage victory over Tunisia in the 2018 World Cup was marred by more VAR controversy.

England was convinced that they should have been given spot kicks after what Ferjani Sassi and Yassine Meriah, bundled to the floor on both occasions, seemed to be clear - cut fouls.

However, the man who mattered most disagreed, although FIFA subsequently analyzed precisely why VAR Sandro Ricci had not told referee Wilmar Roldan to look at the tuchline monitor incidents.

5) Spot-on decision at the home of football

Kane  spot against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final after a VAR referral

The VAR decided on Spurs ' Carabao Cup semi - final first - leg tie with Chelsea, but again after the game there was much talk about the key decision in the tie.

Kane was the match - winner of the hosts from the Wembley penalty spot in January, but it was the spot kick award that was debated so hotly in the first place.

Kane was deemed by the video assistant to be on hand, overturning the decision on the touchline by the assistant referee, before being updated by Kepa Arrizabalaga, Chelsea's keeper.

In the meantime, Chelsea had a different view of the incident, with the Blues subsequently revealing their own angle that seemed to show that the Spurs striker was offside.

6) 'Incompetency of the highest order'

The VAR once again dominated Manchester City's 3 - 2 first - leg win over Schalke in their last-16 Champions League clash in February 2019.

On this occasion, the controversy centered around how long it took for referee Carlos del Cerro Grande to award a handball against Nicolas Otamendi to the Bundesliga side the first of their first two - half penalties.

Apparently because of a technical issue, the official did not review the incident himself on the side of the pitch, while there were also no replays on the big screens or any other indication of what was going on in the Veltins Arena.

However, Grande eventually awarded Schalke a spot kick after a three - minute delay accompanied by boos, from which Nabil Bentaleb levelled matters at night.

7) VAR's English bow

VAR made its English football debut at Anfield in January 2018 in a highly eventful fourth - round FA Cup clash between Liverpool and West Brom.

And referee Craig Pawson was a busy man, chalking off the header for offside from Craig Dawson, then awarding the hosts a penalty for a pull on Mo Salah, before ruling out a ' goal ' for a foul from Baggies.

8) England pay the penalty

England appeared on the course for a 1 - 0 win over Italy in March 2018, that is until Wembley's VAR's late intervention.

Referee Deniz Aytekin decided that defender James Tarkowski had caught Federico Chiesa in the box with the resulting penalty being converted by Lorenzo Insigne.

England manager Gareth Southgate, however, did not believe that in the first place a clear and obvious error had been made, complaining: "I think my only observation in this instance would be that I don't think it's clear and obvious."

9)  An 'embarrassing' FA Cup episode at Wembley

The VAR was first introduced in the 2017 - 18 FA Cup, but its debut was again dominated by several controversial calls, none more so than in a fifth - round replay at Wembley between Tottenham and Rochdale.

On that occasion, after spotting a foul in the build - up, though after a long delay, referee Paul Tierney first disallowed Erik Lamela's early strike before the official then consulted the technology to award a penalty to the home team.

Tierney first awarded Spurs a free kick for a foul on Kieran Trippier, only after another intervention from the VAR to change his mind.

Although Heung - Min Son converted the spot kick to double the lead of Spurs, his ' goal ' was actually ruled out after his stuttering run - up was deemed illegal.

However, Argentina was scathing after Mauricio Pochettino's side won the tie 6 - 1, calling the VAR confusion "embarrassing."

10) When is a red not a red?

As mentioned earlier, in the 2017 Confederations Cup, the VAR endured a rocky international bow, and none more so than during a match between Germany and Cameroon in Group B.

Now, having caught Emre Can with a high tackle by Ernest Mabouka, referee Wimar Roldan first booked the wrong player Sebastian Siani.

The Colombian, however, looked at the challenge on the Touchline TV monitor, only to add to his initial error by sending Siani off.

Cameroon complained and he finally got to the right decision after Roldan reviewed the incident for a second time and dismissed Mabouka.