{"id":958079,"date":"2026-05-13T23:41:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T23:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/958079\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T23:41:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T23:41:19","slug":"james-maddison-says-what-no-other-premier-league-player-has-dared-to-about-var","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/958079\/","title":{"rendered":"James Maddison says what no other Premier League player has dared to about VAR"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has put himself at risk of disciplinary action after suggesting that referees are “petrified” to make decisions because of VAR. <\/strong><\/p>\n

On Monday night, Tottenham were denied a stoppage-time penalty when second-half substitute Maddison<\/a> went down in the area following a challenge from Leeds United<\/a> forward Lukas Nmecha.<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old and his teammates were convinced they should have been awarded a spot-kick, but referee Jarred Gillett and VAR waved away appeals, a decision that has since become a huge talking point.<\/p>\n

According to the Premier League<\/a> Match Centre, Nmecha got enough contact on the ball to justify the penalty not being given.<\/p>\n

However, Maddison has downplayed that claim. In fact, he took to Instagram<\/a> on Tuesday night to suggest that referees are “petrified” to make decisions because of the video assistant referee.<\/p>\n

“For clarity\u2026 The small, tiny touch on the ball to change direction came from the outside of my right foot, not Nmecha, and I told the ref that. But the check was over in about 20 seconds,” he wrote.<\/p>\n

Maddison added: “Officials are petrified to make decisions on pitch now because of VAR. We keep fighting. COYS.”<\/p>\n

\"JamesJames Maddison goes down in the area. Image credit: Getty<\/p>\n

The midfielder, who came on in the 85th minute of their 1-1 draw against Leeds, also touched on making his comeback following an anterior cruciate ligament injury that has kept him out for 12 months<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He added: “After the longest, toughest 12 months of my life, the reception you Spurs fans gave me yesterday made all the sacrifice & dark days absolutely worth it. Thank you so much. Back where I belong.”<\/p>\n

Roberto De Zerbi gives his take on performance of referee Jarred Gillett<\/p>\n

Speaking after the full-time whistle on Monday night, De Zerbi said referee Jarred Gillett was “not calm” after being asked about the decision-making from match officials during the 1-1 draw.<\/p>\n

“I think they were not calm today, maybe they suffered the pressure of yesterday’s Arsenal game,” he said.<\/p>\n

“For sure, we suffered the pressure today. We didn’t play with passion with the ball, too frenetic, but also the referee was not calm today.”<\/p>\n

“I can’t understand the polemic about yesterday’s VAR because it was 200 per cent a foul, not 100 per cent, 200 per cent,” he added.<\/p>\n

Asked for his thoughts on the decision to wave away the last-gasp penalty appeal, De Zerbi was coy. \u201cNo, I don\u2019t want to come inside the polemic,” he said. “I didn\u2019t see. I didn\u2019t watch again. I don\u2019t know.”<\/p>\n