Tottenham came out on top of one of the most dramatic Champions League games of all time on Wednesday night, after an injury-time VAR goal was disallowed for Man City leaving Spurs to go through on away goals despite losing 4-3.
There were two big VAR decisions and both went Tottenham’s way. The first was Fernando Llorente’s goal that was checked for handball. Two conflicting angles shown on TV had viewers confused but the goal was given.
Then, in injury time, Raheem Sterling scored to seemingly put Man City through but it was chalked off for an offside that was right, but very close.
Talking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast Show (talkSPORT, Thursday, 8am), Harry Redknapp delivered his verdict on the two VAR decisions and on Spurs’ chances of lifting the trophy.
“Unbelievable. The handball, the view we had on TV at first, I watched it 20 times and I couldn’t work out if it was handball or not.”
Talking about the second goal he said, “You can’t have an instant reaction anymore. The crowd jumped up, Sterling scored, you thought that was the end, you never thought it would be chalked off. You can’t celebrate any more. It’s amazing how it’s changed.
“It’s just so difficult. The more you watch it the more confused you get. The excitement, the joy, you’re waiting now to see what will happen. It’s a strange old situation. But it shows you how many decisions have been wrong over the years.”
However, Tottenham triumphed and Redknapp now thinks they’ve got a massive opportunity to lift the trophy.
“Listen, who would have picked them two teams for the semi-final? I still think that one of our two teams can win it, Spurs have got a big chance… They’ve got an absolutely fantastic chance.”
OPINION
The VAR debate will rumble on on and on after last night, but it’s hard to argue that it’s not going to improve the game. Some pundits were bemoaning the way the atmosphere was sucked out of the stadium last night when Sterling’s goal was disallowed but are they saying an incorrect decision should be made for the sake of the fans? Is it not more important that the right team goes through? Aguero was offside for the Sterling goal – it was marginal but VAR helped the correct decision to be made. Llorente’s was far more debatable but his arms were by his side, not in an unnatural position, and if the ball did brush his elbow, then surely it shouldn’t have been chalked off? VAR didn’t really hold the game up either but just added extra drama into what was an incredible game at the Etihad. It was a brutal way to lose for Man City, but glorious for the Tottenham fans and for Pochettino who had already resigned themselves to a crushing defeat. Ajax and then potentially Liverpool over 90 minutes? Tottenham can definitely win it now.