Why VAR is not being used for Exeter City vs Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup
Why VAR is not being used for Exeter City vs Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup
Nottingham Forest fans have a rare break from the pressure of their Champions League push when they travel to Exeter City on Tuesday in the FA Cup.
Espirito Santo could play some Forest Academy stars against Exeter in a game they should be favourites for, but continuing to build momentum will probably take precedence at this time of the season.
Still, some more fringe players may get a run out on Tuesday, with Ibrahim Sangare returning from injury and more than likely earning a starting spot in the FA Cup to build match sharpness.
Someone in a similar boat could be Taiwo Awoniyi, who has played a bit-part role behind the record-breaking Forest scorer Chris Wood. In what was somewhat surprising, Forest chose to keep Awoniyi rather than sign a new striker, with the Exeter game a chance to show why that decision was correct.
With the Forest squad looking likely to be freshened up, another welcome relief for fans will be the lack of VAR involved in the game, a decision that the FA explained ahead earlier in the season.
Nottingham Forest receive welcome VAR break in the FA Cup
Forest and VAR haven’t had the best relationship over the years, with the infamous Forest VAR statement after the Everton defeat last season still fresh in the minds of football fans who ridiculed the communication.
It’ll be a welcome relief for Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis then that VAR will not be in operation for the clash with Exeter, with the FA releasing a statement in December on the matter.
The statement said: “It has been agreed that VAR will be utilised for every match in the Fifth Round of the competition through to the Final at Wembley Stadium, and will not be in operation for the Third and Fourth Rounds.
“VAR has only been used in the Emirates FA Cup previously for matches at Wembley Stadium and at Premier League grounds due to the infrastructure, workforce and costs that are required for its operation.
“This decision ensures that there is a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition.”
Marinakis went on a VAR rant in December as Forest continued to have issues with the system so the fact they won’t have to think about the technology on a matchday will be a moment of clarity, as long as the referee on the day doesn’t make a mistake that is.
This news comes on the back of another suspected VAR error being confirmed in the press to the frustration of all at the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest’s VAR break comes after further controversy
Forest fans were left in a familiar state of frustration in January as a result of VAR after Nikola Milenkovic had a goal disallowed against Southampton.
Time passed to leave the decision out of the minds of the club, but it came back into the news cycle after the Key Match Incident panel deemed the Milenkovic VAR call incorrect.
Clearly, the news was a frustrating one for Forest fans but given the lack of trust in the system since the April 2024 statement, there is almost a sense of malaise surrounding VAR rather than vitriol.
A break in the malaise therefore in the Exeter game will be refreshing for everyone at the club, with the FA Cup providing Espirito Santo and his Forest coaching staff[ a chance to do their talking on the pitch without the potential distraction of officiating.
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