Michel Platini, the former Juventus midfielder and ex-president of UEFA, has voiced his strong opposition to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in a recent interview with Sport Mediaset . He believes that VAR diminishes the lively debates among fans that are an essential part of football.
“I am against VAR; it no longer sparks discussions among fans,” Platini stated. “I am not in favor of anything that simplifies football. It resolves problems and removes controversies. I would only use it for goals and offside situations, where referees cannot see. For fouls, the match officials should make the decisions.”
Reflecting on his departure from UEFA, Platini remarked, “I am no longer president of UEFA, so I haven’t really thought about it honestly. A nice political answer, right?”
He also commented on his lasting fame in football, saying, “It means that technology works well in this regard, or that grandparents tell their grandchildren well about what they have seen.”
Discussing Juventus, Platini admitted he follows the club from afar due to broadcasting rights issues. “I don’t know the players well and little about the management; after 40 years, there are no longer fans from my time. But I am always happy when Juventus wins.”
On the topic of Yildiz wearing the iconic number 10 jersey at Juventus, he added, “A shirt never weighs too much; he has quality. Motta thinks he can solve the problems of the Bianconeri. We’ll see at the end of his career, as they used to say about me. I arrived at the end when I was exhausted,” he said with a laugh.
