Euro 2024: UEFA rules in favor of Anthony Taylor

English referee, Anthony Taylor has built himself quite the profile even with the ongoing Euro 2024, however, this time, the Premier League official has UEFA on his side.

According to reports, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has ruled in favor of referees Anthony Taylor and Stuart Attwell’s decision to disallow Xavi Simons’ goal during the Netherlands’ Euro 2024 Group D draw against France.

The decision, which resulted from a lengthy VAR check, determined that Denzel Dumfries was in an offside position, causing controversy among fans and pundits alike.

In the match, France dominated with 14 shots but failed to score, marking their most shots without a goal in a major tournament since their Euro 2016 final loss to Portugal. The Netherlands appeared to have taken the lead when Simons fired a low shot past France’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan in the Euro 2024 edition. However, the goal was overturned after VAR reviewed Dumfries’ position.

UEFA’s referees’ chief, Roberto Rosetti, confirmed the decision was “totally correct,” supporting Taylor and Attwell’s judgment. “The UEFA referee committee totally supported the decision,” Rosetti stated.

He also acknowledged the extended duration of the VAR check, which was longer than usual compared to the typically swift reviews seen in the Premier League.

“There are always elements for improvement. In this situation, the element of improvement is the duration of this review. For sure the duration can be less, we can decrease the duration of the review, but I want to tell you that it’s not easy,” Rosetti explained.

He highlighted the complexities involved in the review process, noting that VAR had to check two possible offsides, the impact of the attacker on the goalkeeper, and a previous contact between two other players.

Despite the controversy, Rosetti emphasized the importance of accuracy over speed.

“In this situation, the VAR checked two possible offsides, he had to check the possible impact of the attacker on the goalkeeper, and a previous contact between two other players. The pressure is the pressure, and of course, we always support accuracy. At the end, the decision is totally correct.”

Stuart Attwell, who faced criticism last season in the Premier League following contentious decisions in a match between Nottingham Forest and Everton, received special praise from Rosetti.

“When Stuart is speaking it is like the book of VAR in modern football and VAR application. Everything was clear,” Rosetti added.