Football News: Euro 2024, Champions League, and More
In a highly anticipated Euro 2024 semi-final match, the Netherlands faced off against England, with the latter emerging victorious. However, the result has sparked controversy, with Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman criticizing the penalty decision that led to England’s equalizer.
Koeman, a former defender himself, expressed his disapproval of the VAR-awarded penalty, stating that “proper football is finished if that is regarded as a foul.” The incident occurred when Denzel Dumfries, in an attempt to block a shot by England captain Harry Kane, collided with the striker’s right boot. Kane subsequently converted the resulting penalty, bringing the game level.
“As a former defender myself, what could he do in that position?” Koeman questioned. “He tried to block the ball … To penalize that is to tell him we cannot play proper football.” The Netherlands coach went on to say that “VAR really breaks football” and that the game can no longer be played properly due to such decisions.
Virgil van Dijk, the Netherlands captain, also weighed in, calling on referee Felix Zwayer to explain his decision. Van Dijk suggested that the referee’s hasty departure from the field at the final whistle indicated that he knew he had made an error.
“I don’t know what to say,” Van Dijk told beIN Sports. “I don’t know if I should say something about this … I think it says it all that the referee went in quite quickly after the game. I had no time to shake his hand.” The Liverpool defender believes that referees should face the media and explain their decisions, just as players are required to do.
Despite the disappointment, Koeman praised his team’s performance throughout the tournament, saying, “We should be proud because we’ve achieved many things in these weeks and there’s no criticism after seeing how my players fought until the end.” He acknowledged that the English team “did it better than us” and congratulated them on their victory.
As the football world continues to grapple with the ongoing debate surrounding the use of VAR and refereeing decisions, the Euro 2024 semi-final match between the Netherlands and England has once again highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability in the sport.
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