New form of VAR used for first time in big Serie C Week 1 match

Italian football made history this evening with the first use of Football Video Support, a form of VAR where the coaches request the referee checks the video footage.

The new system is being experimented in Serie C, the third division of Italian football that is also known as Lega Pro, and could represent the next stage of technology in sport.

Rather than have a VAR official in a booth who informs the referee that he should evaluate the incident again, there is no Video Assistant Referee.

Instead, the coaches of the two teams are allowed a certain number of appeals in each game, so they can ask the referee to walk over and check the video footage himself.

The request is made to the fourth official, who also operates the video.

Next stage of VAR starts in Serie C

It worked well when Guidonia Montecelio asked the referee to re-evaluate a decision against Perugia at the Stadio Renato Curi tonight.

The official changed his mind, having booked Diego Zuppel for dangerous play during an overhead kick.

In the VAR protocol, this was an incident that would not be suitable for evaluation, as yellow cards are excluded.

In the same match, the referee also changed his decision on handball and assigned a penalty to Guidonia Montecelio.

Each coach has two challenges at his disposal, but loses one if the original decision is confirmed after the video review.

This type of system is already used in tennis.

There is also an automatic video evaluation after every goal by the fourth official.

Serie A will have a new form of VAR too this season, with referees able to explain their decisions to the stadium in real time.