Overview
- A ZDF survey of 27 Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga coaches found none were very satisfied with VAR, with 16 reporting dissatisfaction and 11 satisfied.
- A narrow majority of respondents favored limiting reviews to factual checks such as goal or offside decisions, and most rejected a coach challenge system.
- Coaches cited handball decisions as their chief grievance, and referee leaders acknowledged the handball rule remains hard to explain and often feels unfair.
- Kircher said semi‑automated offside technology has roughly halved decision times and called five‑ to six‑minute reviews unacceptable.
- After Freiburg’s win over Hamburg, Kircher described a contested elbow incident before the winner as a borderline case, underscoring his call for a higher intervention bar.