The People's Forum: Also, I'm not sure you can say for certain that it's a total accident

it's an opinion. The X post rightly questions why the ref was not brought over to look at the screen. Fernandes obviously knows the general area the ball is in and he might well have been instinctively reaching for it first to clear the danger. But he gets the benefit of the doubt without any real debate as the VAR makes his mind up instantly as you say, and the grabbing wasn't even mentioned. Is the hand in an "unnatural position" or not? It's in a natural position for trying to grab someone's shirt!

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1) The VAR confidently states that it’s a ‘total accident’ - before even watching the replay. He’s made his mind up before even using the technology, so why even have the technology? Surely at least go through the exercise before making your decision?

2) The VAR then says that the ‘total accident’ is caused because ‘He’s gone to grab the player.’ The video then shows Fernandes wrapping his arms around Barry - who he’s ’gone to grab.’ So, isn’t that a penalty in and of itself?

https://x.com/irishefc1878/status/2054353849490501780?s=46

Watching this back absolutely infuriates me. It reinforces my view that these people aren’t corrupt - they’re just entirely incompetent.