A referee's decision can change completely a party and an eliminatory, especially in a competition like the Champions League. The FC Barcelona, from does a few years, has suffered several controversies related to the measures taken (or fault of them) of the referees.
Nicola Rizzoli, historical referee of the European football elected like the best of the world in 2014 and 2015, has confessed recently that one of his worst errors in his career like referee committed it in the Champions League and that his mistake cost him practically an eliminatory to the FC Barcelona.
In a talk with 'Ran dello Sport', the current designador of referees in the Series To and B, confessed that "in the derbi of Milan, when I earned a penalti non-existent… But the most unforgettable committed it in the Athletic of Madrid – FC Barcelona of Champions. I signalled a free shot in the edge of the line that, have hit , had been favourable to the Barcelona. I did not darse of the fact that the player of the Athletic had the feet out of the area but the hand with which struck the balloon was inside. It look, if it had existed the VAR…".
The error of Rizzoli, in question, went in the party of turn of the quarter-finals of the Champions League of the season 2015-2016, in Vicente Calderón. The action took place in the minute ninety, with a 2-0 favourable for the 'colchoneros'. A goal, from the penalty spot, would have commanded the party to the extention, but the decision of the referee changed the history completely.
Defender of the VAR
The referee, withdrawn in 2017, has confessed that if the VAR had existed in this moment, this error had not existed. Therefore and other reasons, has turned into a big defender of the technology in the sport, since for him is a tool that benefits to the football.