The VAR has been in use for ten years, but there is still no consensus on the system. This is evident from a recent look back by the AD. According to KNVB manager Gijs de Jong and referees' chief Raymond van Meenen, the video arbitration has prevented many errors. Journalist Sjoerd Mossou, however, sees a major problem: the VAR is increasingly intervening in situations where there is room for interpretation.
VoetbalPrimeur reports that the VAR intervened 105 times in the Eredivisie season, with 84 of those interventions leading to the correction of a wrong decision. Van Meenen understands Mossou's criticism to some extent, saying that the introduction of the VAR has created a certain expectation among supporters and clubs. "People think: there's technology, so nothing will go wrong." De Jong, on the other hand, points out the errors that are actually prevented. The key difference, according to Van Meenen, lies in the scope for interpretation. A ball is either over the line or not, but in cases of a foul, the referee's decision is decisive. "We can all three have different opinions on what is clear and obvious."