Former referees assess Samsunspor-Fenerbahçe match: “Isn’t VAR there for this kind of situation?”

Fenerbahçe’s 2-0 away win over Samsunspor produced two major refereeing debates for the beIN Trio panel, which examined whether VAR should have intervened.

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Guarino is making a very late and risky challenge. He makes uncontrolled contact with the sole of his boot. It is a clear penalty and yellow card.

Bülent Yıldırım, Aleks Taşçıoğlu and Deniz Çoban agreed that Fenerbahçe should have received a penalty in the fifth-minute incident involving Guarino and Muriqi. They described the challenge as a late, uncontrolled contact with the studs and said it also warranted a yellow card.

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He is taking a risk, sliding in and arriving uncontrolled. There is an uncontrolled blow while the ball is in play. It is a clear penalty and yellow card.

The former referees were even more emphatic about Nelson Semedo’s intervention on Yalçın Kayan. Taşçıoğlu said the studs made a damaging stamp that endangered the opponent’s health and required a red card for serious foul play.

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There was a damaging stamp with the studs. He endangered the opponent’s health. It required a red card for serious foul play.

Yıldırım called it “a very clear red card” and questioned why VAR had not intervened. Çoban said Semedo transferred his full weight into the challenge, while the referee had failed to call even a foul, making VAR intervention necessary.

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There is no need to discuss the technical details. He pressed the studs of his sole into the calf. There was force and the potential to cause injury. It was a very clear red card. Isn’t VAR there for this kind of situation?