Pep Guardiola has criticized the inconsistency of video assistant referee decisions, describing VAR outcomes as “a flip of a coin” amid renewed debates over officiating standards in English football.
According to reports from BBC Sport, the Manchester City manager made the remarks while discussing recent controversies affecting the Premier League title race.
Guardiola argued that clubs cannot rely on VAR to deliver fair or predictable outcomes consistently.
“I never trust anything since I arrived a long time ago,” he said.
“You blame yourself with what you have to do, because VAR is a flip of a coin.”
The Manchester City coach also referenced previous officiating incidents involving his team, particularly defeats in recent FA Cup Finals.
Guardiola pointed to last season’s final against Crystal Palace, where goalkeeper Dean Henderson escaped a red card despite handling the ball outside the penalty area.
Henderson later saved a penalty as Palace went on to defeat City.
The Spanish manager also revisited City’s previous FA Cup final loss to Manchester United, claiming his side should have received two penalties during that match.
Despite expressing frustration over refereeing decisions, Guardiola insisted that players and coaches must ultimately focus on improving performances rather than dwelling on officiating controversies.
“When this happens it is because we have to do better,” Guardiola stated.
“The only thing we can do is do it better, that is only in your control.”
The comments come during another intense title race in England, with officiating and VAR decisions again becoming a major talking point among clubs, fans, and analysts.
Manchester City remain in contention for the Premier League title and are also preparing for an FA Cup final clash against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.
Debates surrounding VAR have continued across European football in recent years, with critics frequently raising concerns about consistency, transparency, and the interpretation of key decisions during major matches.
