Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he does not understand why VAR intervened to disallow Antoine Semenyo’s second goal in his side’s League Cup semi-final first leg win against Newcastle, but did not do so in City’s game at St James’ Park earlier in the season.
“It’s a good question,” said Guardiola when asked about the decision to disallow the goal.
«I would like to know why, in the Premier League game against Newcastle that we lost 2-1, in the 60th minute, with 0-0 on the scoreboard, there was a very clear penalty from Schar against Phil Foden that was not even considered by the VAR», he began by saying.
“And in the 20th minute, there is an unbelievable penalty from a shot by Jeremy Doku, a handball from Thiaw, and the VAR doesn’t intervene either,” he added.
«Today, four people couldn’t decide why the line was, I don’t know, but the second goal that Newcastle scored [no jogo da liga] it was perfect. The line was perfect», he joked.
“Did I say anything when we lost here 2-1? No. Did I say anything when, in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, there was a red card for Henderson in the 30th or 40th minute? No. But that’s okay, there’s no problem.”
“Listen, I have no suspicions whatsoever,” continued Guardiola. «In ten years, when we lost semi-finals in major competitions, or in the championship, I never said anything. Sometimes on the sideline, yes. But, come on, in the same stadium, what happened? VAR had to intervene. See what happened at 60 and 20 minutes [nesses jogos]. Look at the two penalties. Winning here in the Premier League by 1-0 or 2-0 makes a big difference for us”, he lamented.
“Merit to Newcastle. I can say they deservedly won the Premier League game. But why is it [o VAR] Did you not intervene in these two games? And today it took more than six minutes and we couldn’t even argue with the referee. But they will call me. They will want to explain it to me”, he concluded.
The goal that would have made it 2-0, Semenyo’s double, was disallowed after six minutes of evaluation, due to Haaland’s meticulous play, which the referee considered to have had an influence on the play, by conditioning the action of a defender, despite not having touched the ball.
Despite the disallowed goal, City leaves Newcastle with a precious advantage for the second leg — Semenyo opened the scoring and, almost at the end, Cherki made it 2-0, leaving the citizens one step away from Wembley.
«In the first half, the players at the front were not connected to our game. In the second half, Erling and, especially, Antoine, were much better”, praised Guardiola.
