Marseille manager Rudi Garcia 'cannot wait longer' for VAR after nearly missing out on Europa League final

Sport360 staff 18:24 04/05/2018
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  • Marseille were on the wrong end of refereeing decisions against Salzburg.

    Marseille coach Rudi Garcia cannot wait for the Video Assistant Referee system to be fully implemented.

    OM advanced to the Europa League final on Thursday night courtesy of a dramatic extra-time goal against Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, which secured a 3-2 aggregate semi-final victory.

    But Garcia took time out from celebrating to stress his view that the VAR technology cannot be introduced soon enough.

    “I was confident all the way, focused all the way,” he said at his post-match press conference. “We will certainly talk about the episodes of arbitration and I take this opportunity to say I am strongly in favour of video decisions.

    “I cannot wait longer for VAR. (With VAR) we would not have to talk about Salzburg’s second goal, where they had a man offside, we would not have to discuss the penalty they did not give us because of clear handball in the area, or from the corner that was apparently not for us at the end…

    “With VAR, we will avoid 80 per cent of this kind of post-match talk.”

    Substitute Jorge Rolando volleyed home from a corner in the 115th minute to secure OM’s place in the final, after Salzburg had earlier cancelled out a 2-0 first-leg deficit at Red Bull Arena.

    Salzburg will feel aggrieved at the way they exited the tournament, with the corner which led to Rolando’s goal being awarded despite Andre-Frank Zambo’s 20-yard effort deflecting behind off a Marseille team-mate.

    The home players protested against the decision but the referee was unmoved and Garcia’s side made the most of their lucky break to secure Marseille’s first European final appearance since 2004.

    “I’m happy for the squad – they deserve it,” said Garcia, whose side will face Atletico Madrid in the May 16 showpiece in Lyon. “Over the two matches, it is deserved.

    “The scenario was good. It is in the DNA of this team to go all the way, to believe until the end.

    “It’s a real satisfaction to go to the final, but it’s not an end in itself. We have not won anything yet.”

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