Luka Modric fumes over World Cup VAR controversy as players in tears

Luka Modric fumes over World Cup VAR controversy as players in tears - ‘you’re to blame’

Croatia's 2-1 defeat against Portugal in the early hours of Friday morning included two huge VAR calls which caused controversy

Luka Modric has spoken out against the use of VAR after Croatia were knocked out of the World Cup at the round of 32 stage in controversial fashion. The nation were on the end of a 2-1 defeat against Portugal in the early hours of Friday morning.

Croatia had taken the lead through Ivan Perisic in the second half. But Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from the spot after Nikola Vlasic was adjudged to have fouled Renato Viega in the box after a VAR review.

Portugal then took the lead in the fourth minute of added time through Goncalo Ramos. But there was still time for more drama with another VAR review ruling out Josko Gvardiol’s equaliser for offside.

Replays showed that Igor Matanovic got the slightest of touches on a cross that fell to offside Mario Pasalic in the build-up to the goal. The result left some Croatian players inconsolable on the pitch.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Modric said, via Sportske Novosti: “We can look at the game in two parts, in the first half we were not at our best level, we were quite withdrawn, but in the second half we played a phenomenal game.

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“That's one of our better games. We could have easily finished it earlier, but we didn't manage it. We missed, and then some things happened that are unbelievable to me.

“What is, is there. It's hard to say what is smart after the game, I don't want to say something wrong. We can be proud of how we played the second half; we deserved more, but simply, football is like that. “

When asked what the referee told him over the decision to disallow Croatia’s equaliser, he said: “He says Matanović touched the ball, but we watched the footage, there's no evidence that he touched the ball. If he doesn't touch the ball, it's not offside.”

The midfielder didn't hold back on his thoughts on the use of VAR, pointing to the penalty that was awarded to Portugal to allow them to equalise in the second half. He added: “Some things didn't go our way. That penalty... If it were the other way around, VAR would never have been involved.

“I said about VAR in the beginning, when it was first introduced, that I didn't like it. Later, over time, it's good for some things, but they use it incorrectly or use it selectively, or depending on the size of the team.

“VAR should intervene if it's 200 per cent a mistake, but if it's not, if it's in the grey zone, you have no say in it. There's no point in calling VAR.

“This is no penalty. Both teams are replaying, pushing, Vlašić didn't pull it, he held it, and both of them fell. That's why you can't judge a penalty like that in a game like this.

“That's why I say, it has to be used if the mistake is 200 per cent. If you can treat something this way or that, you have no say in it.

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“That annoys me and always works to our detriment. What is, it is, let's move on, we won't complain about it, but of course, some things bother me because fate decides.

“They decide the mood for everything you do, what you give up, you tear yourself apart, you fight. There are young players who come here, and then you do something like this to them... You are to blame for that, and it is always to our detriment.

“I won't talk about it anymore. We can be proud of how we played, how we fought, how we represented Croatia, especially in the second half. That is the Croatia that everyone knows about, why we are so respected and loved in the world. Nothing, let's move on, now we reset, and that's it.”

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