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Report: VAR to be fast-tracked into Champions League knockout stages

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UEFA has decided to green-light the use of video referees for the knockout stages of this season's Champions League campaign, according to The Times' Martyn Ziegler.

VAR, which was initially set to debut at the start of the 2019-20 season, will now begin operation from the round of 16 onward.

It's also expected to be used in the Nations League finals in Portugal next June, where England will face one of Portugal, Switzerland, or the Netherlands.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin announced plans in September to incorporate video technology into Europe's most prestigious competition, saying "there is no way back" from VAR.

However, he had expressed concerns over the logistics of implementing VAR. It's unclear whether video referees will be on location or available for consultation while working elsewhere.

"When we are ready we will use it, but it is not so easy because we have to choose the provider, it is not easy to organize a competition across the continent with all the referees, so we have some issues," said Ceferin.

Calls for VAR intensfied after Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling was awarded a dubious penalty in a 6-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk. Sterling won the spot-kick despite tripping over his own feet in the penalty area.

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