KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: The use of VAR changed refereeing decisions 12 times in the 36 matches of the group stage of Euro 2020 and 91pc of decisions were correct, according to Roberto Rosetti, head of the UEFA referees commission.

Rosetti revealed that VAR carried out 179 controls with a correction every three games and hailed the fact that the number of fouls and cards was being reduced, increasing the effective playing time.

Referees penalised 806 fouls, 105 fewer than in France 2016. Yellow cards dropped from 129 five years ago to 98 this tournament.

However the number of penalties awarded doubled from seven to 14.

Rosetti said: “We have fewer fouls, fewer yellow cards, a better attitude from the players on the field and more time played.”

In France the effective playing time was 56 minutes 30 seconds. This time around it is 58 minutes 51 seconds .

There were zero errors in offsides, with 21 situations considered borderline (between 10 and 12 centimeters) in which the lineman flagged 15 times and VAR corrected six.

Rosetti also said that the time required for corrections had decreased notably: in the last Europa League, interruptions lasted an average of 105 seconds , in the Champions League they lasted 120 seconds, while in this European Championship it is usually less than 100 seconds.

He added: “Thanks to VAR we have more correct decisions. We know the strengths and weaknesses of this project, we know that it is not easy and that it is still a young project .

“We need to find balance in interventions and our goal is to keep football as it is. It is not acceptable for VAR to pick up minor contacts. We want to intervene only because of clear and obvious errors.”

Rosetti had particular praise for the manner in which Englishman Anthony Taylor handled the dramatic moments of the collapse of Danish Christian Eriksen due to cardiac arrest in the Denmark-Finland match.

He said: “We insist with the officials that safety is the most important thing, they have to be ready to handle these situations and Anthony Taylor was fantastic.”

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