Pellegrini Slams 'Unnecessary' VAR Interference After Betis Draw With Rayo
Manuel Pellegrini was fuming after VAR halted the Betis vs Rayo Vallecano draw for nearly nine minutes over fouls neither side even appealed for.
Pellegrini wasn’t having it after Betis were held to a draw by Rayo Vallecano — and his main gripe wasn’t the result, it was the bloke in the VAR booth sticking his nose in where it wasn’t wanted.
What Happened on the Pitch
It was a fairly even affair at the Benito Villamarín. Betis got themselves in front but Rayo pegged them back with what Pellegrini described as pretty much their only real chance of the first half. The final ten minutes gave the home side a genuine opportunity to nick all three points, but it wasn’t to be — 1-1 the final score.
- Bakambu had to come off after taking a heavy knock to the thigh and couldn’t run properly, despite a strong first half
- Cuchu came on as cover but wasn’t fully match-sharp after returning from injury — credit to him for grafting through it
- Aitor picked up a minor muscle issue, though Pellegrini was cautious about giving a full diagnosis
- Antony was seen in tears at the final whistle — not an injury concern, Pellegrini explained, just pure frustration at not grabbing the winner
The VAR Row
This is where Pellegrini really got going. Two separate incidents — one involving Mendy, one involving Valentín Gómez — brought play to a halt for the best part of eight or nine minutes combined. Here’s the thing though: neither team appealed for a penalty in either case.
The Chilean was pretty unambiguous about it: “A totally unnecessary VAR intervention — no team claimed a foul.”
His argument was straightforward — VAR should be stepping in to correct clear, obvious errors by the referee. If both sets of players and staff are standing around wondering why the game’s stopped, that’s a problem. Spending the best part of ten minutes checking whether a toe is a millimetre inside or outside the box, when nobody’s even asked for it, is exactly the kind of VAR overreach that does everyone’s head in.
Credit where it’s due — he acknowledged the referee himself had the personality to go and look at both incidents and ultimately award nothing in either area. Small mercies.
Eyes on the Derbi
With the Seville derby coming up next week, Pellegrini was keen to big up the Betis faithful. He called the passion of the Béticos almost unbelievable — the sort of support that makes you want to go out and give everything in return.
He’s also got one eye on the Europa League around the corner, and made clear he wants the squad picking up as many points as possible in La Liga before that kicks in. Considering where Betis are sitting this season, these are not insignificant weeks.
A point against Rayo isn’t a disaster, but with a derby on the horizon and European football looming, Pellegrini will know his side need to be sharper — and probably won’t want the VAR lot adding another nine minutes of chaos to proceedings.