WHAT A VAR-CE
Ligue 1 captain hands referee document during match in unprecedented move to exploit little-known ‘replay’ rule
The match was stopped for almost 15 minutes in bizarre scenes
AUXERRE caused chaos in their showdown with Lyon after employing a little-known rule which could have seen the match replayed.
The Ligue 1 side requested a "technical reservation" following a controversial penalty decision at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.
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Lyon were awarded a penalty in the first half of Sunday's contest after a contentious VAR review.
Georges Mikautadze hit the deck just moments before halftime following a challenge from Gideon Mensah.
But a fuming Auxerre claimed referee Jeremy Stinat had already blown for a goal kick before the foul took place.
Mikautadze stepped up and slammed in the spot-kick, only for chaos to reign on Auxerre's bench.
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Assistant coach Jean Marie Stephanopoli was sent off during the confusion before captain Jubal Junior presented the referee with a written technical reservation.
In French football, this unusual written request can be made immediately after the referee's decision, before play resumes.
It gives the team the right to submit a direct complaint, in writing, to the French FA Referees' Commission.
Auxerre presented the written request to Stinat on the field, with the game delayed for almost 15 minutes.
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The reservation allows a team to challenge a decision they believe has unfairly altered the outcome of the match.
If successful, it can see the goal in question annulled and the match replayed.
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According to Article 559 of the French football rulebook: "A reservation on technical issues is only admissible if it is made to the referee by the complaining captain at the stoppage of play which is the consequence of the contested decision.
"If the reservation concerns a fact on which the referee did not intervene, it must be made at the first stoppage of play."
It adds: "The technical foul is only retained if the committee judges that it has an impact on the final result of the match.
"To follow its course, this reserve must be sent, within 48 hours, by registered letter to the headquarters of the Professional Football League accompanied by a sum of €76.
"The Professional Football League transmits the file to the Federal Commission of Referees of the FFF.
"The latter orders the result [to stand] or decides that the match is to be replayed."
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After 89 minutes at Molineux, Wolves, needing to win their last game of the season to stay up, are beating Manchester United, who require a point for Champions League football.
A ball over the top sends Rasmus Hojlund racing away. The flag stays down. Hojlund scores. Wolves are relegated.
And on the way home, the dejected Wolves fans see the still image on their phones.
Hojlund was 2ft offside. No question. A shocker.
It means at least a year in the Championship, £100million income drop, a firesale of the squad. While United bank an extra £50m.
But it’s OK. Every one of those fans, plus smiling boss Gary O’Neil and the Wolves board, will line up to say: “No worries. It’s what we voted for. Rough with the smooth.”
Yes. And I’ve got a bridge to Ireland to sell you.
Newly promoted Auxerre battled back in the second half to salvage an impressive 2-2 draw.
Despite DAZN cameras spotting Jubal giving the ref the written technical reservation, the team did not follow up on the complaint after the final whistle.
The result will therefore stand and the game will not be replayed.
Auxerre coach Christophe Pélissier told DAZN after the match: "The flag is raised [for a goal kick], he whistles.
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"[The referee] tells me he whistled after.
"We won't keep the reserve. I saw the referee at the end, we talked. We shouldn't sum up the match with that."
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