Chelsea boss Frank Lampard launched a scathing attack on VAR after a blunder saw Tottenham midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso escape a red card for a “leg-breaker of a tackle” during Saturday’s clash at Stamford Bridge.
Goals from Olivier Giroud and Marcos Alonso helped Chelsea to a crucial 2-1 win in the race for Champions League qualification, but the moment of controversy came when Lo Celso somehow survived an initial VAR review after an awful tackle on Cesar Azpilicueta.
Officials at Stockley Park – the league’s VAR hub - would then, somewhat remarkably, admit to having made an error while the game was still going on.
It was the second time in a week that Lampard had felt aggrieved at an opposition player staying on the field, after Harry Maguire’s apparent kick-out at Michy Batshuayi during Monday night’s defeat to Manchester United went unpunished.
“Not good enough,” Lampard told BT Sport. “Not good enough. I’m sorry but its two VARs in two games. It’s always harder to speak about it when you’ve lost because people say you’re just shouting, but maybe you need to shout because that’s not good enough.
“Everybody in the world in football saw that, that it was a red. It’s too late – the game should be over. I hate to call for red cards but when you’re endangering… that’s a leg-breaker of a tackle. Without a doubt.”
