Denmark boss Hjulmand rails against VAR after Euro 2024 loss to Germany

"It was decided by two VAR decisions," Hjulmand told reporters after the last-16 tie in Dortmund, which Germany won thanks to a Kai Havertz penalty early in the second half and a Jamal Musiala strike. Denmark thought they had gone in front just after half-time when Joachim Andersen scored, but the effort was eventually ruled out following a VAR check which showed Thomas Delaney was just offside before setting up the goal.

When play restarted, Germany immediately attacked and a David Raum cross brushed off the arm of Crystal Palace defender Andersen in the Danish box, leading to another VAR check and the award of the penalty which Havertz converted. "I have the photo here, it was one centimetre," Hjulmand complained of the offside decision against Andersen while holding up his phone.

"When a decision is good it should be visible from the moon, and it should not depend on a few centimetres. In terms of statistics and data, it doesn't make sense. It's not how we are supposed to be using VAR. It's one centimetre. And one minute later there was a penalty. I'm so tired of the ridiculous handball rules, we cannot ask our defenders to run without their arms.

"Joachim was running normally. It's a normal situation, he jumped and was hit from one metre. I rarely talk about these situations but it was very decisive for this game." VAR can intervene in four match-changing situations, for goals and offences leading up to goals, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents and cases of mistaken identity.

New technology is being used at the Euros which allows officials to see clearly if the ball has brushed the arm of a player, similar to the snickometer used in cricket. Denmark, semi-finalists at the last Euros three years ago, go home from Germany without winning a game, having qualified from their group with three draws.

"It's frustrating. It's frustrating for our team. Being in front 1-0 would have changed everything for our team," added Hjulmand, 52, before he congratulated German coach Julian Nagelsmann. "Big congratulations to Germany. Julian is doing a great job. Good luck with the rest of the tournament but in my opinion this is not how football is supposed to be."

 

June 29, 2024