Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo criticizes VAR and referees after controversial decisions

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has called out referees for their over-reliance on VAR, labeling the technology as “a mess.” Despite their recent 2-0 defeat at the hands of Everton, Forest do not have a personal issue with referee Stuart Attwell, although they had three penalty claims rejected during the match.

The club took to their official social media account to express their frustration with the decisions made by the officials, specifically targeting Attwell. Nuno remains unhappy with the decisions made throughout the season and believes that referees should take more responsibility on the pitch rather than relying on VAR.

Forest’s referee analyst, Mark Clattenburg, criticized the decisions made during the Everton match, calling them “a joke.” The club has demanded the public release of the officials’ audio to shed light on the situation. The Football Association has requested observations from Forest, Nuno, defender Neco Williams, and Clattenburg following their comments.

Despite the controversy surrounding Attwell, he has been named as one of the VAR officials for Euro 2024 in Germany this summer. Former Premier League referee Mike Dean defended Attwell, stating that he is one of the most honest referees in the country.

The Premier League has emphasized that it is never appropriate to question the integrity of match officials and will launch their own investigation into the matter. Forest, currently one point above the Premier League relegation zone, will be looking to put this controversy behind them as they prepare to face Manchester City in their next match.