Cristiano Ronaldo has questioned UEFA’s decision not to have VAR in place for the Euro 2020 qualifiers after Portugal were denied a penalty in their 1-1 draw with Serbia in Lisbon on Monday.
The hosts thought they had been awarded a penalty in the second half when referee Szymon Marciniak pointed to the spot after visiting defender Antonio Rukavina had handled in the area.
But after consulting with his assistant, Marchiniak changed his mind.
The result means reigning European champions Portugal have got off to a slow start defending their crown following back-to-back draws at home to Ukraine and Serbia, and Ronaldo questioned the absence of VAR after the match.
Ronaldo was left frustrated in Lisbon
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
“If you have VAR to all competitions, why not for a European qualifier? It’s strange,” the Juventus superstar – who went off injured after 30 minutes – told reporters, via Goal.com .
“We weren’t favoured today, that was a clear penalty and the referee should have given it, not take the decision of another one who was 40 meters away and didn’t even see the play.”
Despite dropping more points though, Ronaldo remained positive.
“Honestly, I think the team played well,” he said. “We had many chances of scoring, we couldn’t make it.
The star went off injured after 30 minutes
(Image: Getty Images)
“It’s a pity, obviously to draw two matches at home but I take the good side of things and I think today the team played better than against Ukraine.
“We created more opportunities to score, did everything to win, couldn’t make it. We had the penalty, which was more than clear, and the referee didn’t give it or didn’t see it, but overall the team was fine.”
Ronaldo meanwhile played down his injury, saying he’d be out for “a week or two.”
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