Champions League side demand match be REPLAYED after referee used phone to check VAR

PORTO are demanding that their match versus Arouca is annulled after an official used a mobile phone during a VAR check.

The Portuguese Primeira League clash ended 1-1 with the game marred by refereeing controversy.

Arouca were 1-0 up when Porto were awarded a 90th penalty after Mehdi Taremi went down in the box.

Referee Miguel Nogueira was sent over to the pitchside monitor but a technical fault meant he was unable to communicate with his fellow officials.

After a long delay he was surprisingly handed a mobile phone and began to deliberate the incident despite not being able to watch a replay.

Eventually, the refs chose to overturn the call and no spot-kick was given.

The Refereeing Council of Portugal's Football Federation said the malfunction was due to a power failure at the Estadio do Dragao.

However, Porto strongly deny this and claim the error was down to a worker not connecting the VAR cables properly.

A club statement read: "This fact was acknowledged by the Altice technicians themselves when they replaced the equipment, which was then supported by the stadium's power."

Porto also want the result annulled or the match replayed due to "misconduct by the refereeing team."

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Their statement continued: "Nogueira's action constitutes a violation of the rules of the game and an error of law with a potential serious impact on the outcome of the match."

The chaotic game continued with 22 minutes of stoppage time played to compensate for the delay.

Porto were awarded another penalty in the 106th minute only for Wenderson Galeno's effort from 12 yards to be saved by Arouca keeper Ignacio De Arruabarrena.

They piled on the pressure as they looked for the equaliser, which eventually came via Evanilson with the clock at 90+19.

Porto are currently second in the Primeira League after four matches and Arouca are seventh.

The Dragons have qualified for this season's Champions League and are in a group with Barcelona, Shakhtar Donestk and Royal Antwerp.