NEIL LENNON will be delighted to hear UEFA have confirmed VAR will be introduced in this season’s Europa League from the beginning of the knock-out stages.
The Celtic boss was fuming last week with blundering Spanish referee Jose Sanchez who inexplicably red-carded Vakoun Issouf Bayo and ignored a valid penalty-kick claim when Ryan Christie was tripped in the box in the 1-1 opening group stage encounter against Rennes in France.
The knock-out rounds begin on February 20, 2020, at which stage the 24 teams that progressed from the group stages will be joined by the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League groups.
VAR was used in the Europa League for the first time last season when Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in the Final in Baku.
The decision came following a meeting of UEFA’s Executive Committee, at which they also announced changes to the Nations League.
Europe’s governing soccer body have also agreed the name for their third club competition, which begins in 2021, will be the Europa Conference League, and matches will be played on Thursdays.
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Partick Thistle tonight – only in your champion CQN.
