La LigaLa Liga referees are being sanctioned and sidelined this season if their matches involve two VAR interventions, following a strict new guideline introduced by the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).
The rule was revealed by journalist Isaac Fouto on COPE’s El Partidazo, where he explained that the CTA has deliberately set a “very high bar” for VAR involvement in matches.
Why La Liga Is Limiting VAR Use
According to Fouto, the CTA prefers referees to make decisive on-field calls without external assistance. Referees who issue direct red cards without VAR review are viewed positively, while situations where VAR upgrades a yellow card to a red are officially logged as errors.
Under the new protocol, two such VAR corrections in a single match lead to sanctions and temporary removal from officiating duties.
How the Rule Affects Key Decisions
Fouto pointed to the recent Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid match, where referee Díaz de Mera received praise for showing a straight red card to Pathe Ciss without VAR intervention.
He also cited the controversial incident between Brais Méndez and Leandro Paredes during the Basque derby. Despite several referees believing VAR should have reviewed the play, it was not considered a “clear and obvious error,” and the alleged simulation further discouraged intervention under the current guidelines.
What It Means for Referees and VAR
Fouto described the situation as “extremely serious,” suggesting the system now incentivises VAR officials to avoid intervening on borderline decisions in order to protect the main referee from punishment.
He confirmed the rule is already being enforced, revealing that five referees including Gil Manzano were sidelined last weekend as a direct result of repeated errors or excessive reliance on VAR.