Several weeks after the controversy surrounding his decision to cancel Julián Álvarez’s penalty in favour of Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16, VAR referee Tomasz Kwiatkowski has been punished by UEFA.
Video assistant refereeing continues to cause ripples in European football, and this time, Tomasz Kwiatkowski is paying the price. This Thursday, during the Europa League match between Tottenham and Eintracht Frankfurt, a notable absence will disrupt the routine: the Polish Kwiatkowski will not be alongside his compatriot Szymon Marciniak, as he has been since 2022. At the centre of a controversy involving Atlético Madrid, the VAR referee has been sanctioned by UEFA, as reported by Cope.
Why has UEFA separated Marciniak from his VAR referee?
Renowned referee Marciniak returns to European competition this Thursday following a period of controversy after the Atlético Madrid–Real Madrid match, which took place on 12 March at the Metropolitano. During this match, a controversial decision regarding the cancellation of a penalty to Julián Álvarez in the penalty shoot-out sparked a flood of criticism and questions. And although UEFA attempted to calm the situation by publishing an explanatory video, Atlético Madrid supporters continue to question the decision, fueling a heated debate.
While UEFA claims the referees’ decision was correct, it surprised many by reshuffling the referee duo. Normally accompanied by Kwiatkowski for VAR management, Marciniak will team up with Alejandro Hernández Hernández from the Canary Islands and César Soto Grado from La Rioja (both Spanish referees). This change comes at a time when Kwiatkowski is facing suspicions related to the controversy surrounding Julián Álvarez’s penalty.
UEFA’s decision to separate the two referees raises questions and seems to mark the end of a long-standing collaboration. Despite UEFA’s apparent support after the incident, Tomasz Kwiatkowski has been abandoned. Speculation about the reasons for his dismissal is rife, and many see it as a disguised punishment following the debate over the controversial penalty.
A controversial decision
Normally, when one does well, one should not be punished. In any case, the decision taken by the governing body once again reveals that things are not entirely going as they should in European football. It is worth noting that this is not the first time Kwiatkowski has been targeted by disciplinary measures from UEFA.
In 2023, during a PSG–Newcastle match, an error in VAR by Kwiatkowski led Marciniak to award a penalty for a non-existent handball by Livramento. UEFA, forced to acknowledge its mistake, then punished Kwiatkowski by removing him from his role as video assistant referee for the Real Sociedad–Salzburg match.
The current situation highlights a deeper, recurring issue: the immense pressure on VAR referees to make accurate decisions in often volatile contexts. UEFA, while seeking to defend its referees, does not hesitate to make radical changes when public trust is shaken. Atlético Madrid should now be smiling following this decision.
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