While catching some live action, it looks to me this UEFA Last-16 match has AARs on the AR side. I reckon UEFA introduced the additionals a couple of years ago (early '10?). Is this still experimental? Will they ever migrate to the far-side goal-line? HKRef reported the Brazilians have done it. In the last 10 minutes, Referee [Craig] Thomson booked BL's Castro for what looked like a challenge on green's Busquets beyond the sidelines, in front of the TAs. A few minutes later, on the far side in front of AR, BL's Kiessling went shoulder-shoulder to green (Mascherano?). Foul was called on BL. Anyone feel these two challenges were punishable differently?
When they started the experiment the AAR was on the far-side, and Uefa made some changes to how the referees should run during the game. The traditional diagonal turned into more of just running in the middle of the field, and this season they've changed it to the AR-side. I thought Thomson had a good game tonight.
UEFA first tested using AARs in the Europa League 2 seasons ago and then expanded it to the Champions League and Euro2012 qualifying last season. It is still in place for those competitions and IIRC the use of AARs is now IFAB approved for the top league in any country that wants to use it. Yes that's the way UEFA wants it. They felt that having the AAR on the same side of goal as the CR diagonal ends up made for clashes of the area they cover and thus initially moved the diagonal but as that wasn't good for the CRs they switched the diagonal back and moved the AAR. No way to know yet. From my experience a lot of referees seems to think that would be best but UEFA seems to like it so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. IMO having the AARs on the ARs side takes away almost all credibility for the ARs to make calls about goal/no goal and on fouls that happens in or around the PA so mainly they're back to being linos, seems like a step back tbh.
just watched this match, and saw both challenges - the second did involve Mascherano. love the commentators on the second one - "I don't see anything wrong with that challenge". sigh. IMO they are different, Castro was cautioned for pulling down Busquets near the TA, the second foul was for Kiessling playing man rather than ball, elbow out and shoulder down. also IMO both correct calls. all in all seemed a well called match.