Celtic star Jota makes interesting comments about VAR

Celtic have made a sensational start to their summer transfer window. The players, who were on loan at Parkhead last season and ended up impressing everyone in and around the club with their performances, have now completed permanent moves to the Glasgow giants. Of course, they are Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Daizen Maeda.

Celtic triggered the option to buy in Jota’s loan deal of around £6.4 million, bringing him to Parkhead on a permanent deal. The Portuguese winger has signed a five-year deal with the Premiership champions.

The upcoming 2022/23 campaign will be special for various reasons. Celtic will look to defend their league title against the Rangers. But also, there is the excitement around returning to the group stage of the Champions League after several years.

On the other hand, Scottish football is set to introduce VAR. As things stand, the timeline suggests that it will be brought into play following the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup in December.

Celtic star Jota is not a big fan of VAR

Celtic star Jota does not appear to be a fan of VAR. As reported by the Daily Record, the Portuguese star said:

"“I don’t like it. I think it is ruining football and I am totally against it. That’s my personal opinion. I am evaluating this from every angle – as a fan, as a footballer, everything. I think football is much more than that. Nowadays we try to complicate what is simple.“But I guess it’s not up to me to make those decisions. Football is about mistakes, it’s about errors. Everyone will make mistakes. I will make mistakes; the referees will make mistakes and the coaches too. That’s the beauty of it. Because, if there is a mistake, then someone is going to take an opportunity.”"

He further went on to add:

"“The delay is something I really don’t like. Of course, it doesn’t make sense. But I guess this is what we have now.”"

VAR has certainly been a topic of discussion and controversy since its widespread introduction in the game. In many ways, it takes away from the sheer joy of scoring and celebrating goals because in the back of everyone’s mind, there is the fear that it could be cancelled out due to a variety of reasons. On the other hand, there are questions about the system’s accuracy as well.

Jota makes some very valid points to say the least but at the same time, one has to admit that in a league like the Scottish Premiership, where there are controversial decisions almost every week, especially in games involving the two Glasgow giants, the introduction of VAR might be the right thing in the long haul, although there are many areas where the system needs to be improved further.