Vicario was involved in a controversial incident during the match between Tottenham and Brentford. Tottenham’s goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, handled the ball outside the penalty area, but neither the referee nor VAR sanctioned the action. This error sparked much criticism, especially from Brentford fans and football enthusiasts.
The Incident
During the match between Tottenham and Brentford, the Italian goalkeeper attempted to block a cross sent from a distance toward the edge of his penalty area. An inaccurate assessment of the trajectory led Vicario to a faulty catch, causing him to exit the penalty area with the ball still in his hands. In an attempt to eliminate the danger, he ended up touching the ball beyond the area line, technically constituting a handball.
The Referee’s Decision and VAR Intervention
Despite the apparent irregularity, the on-field referee did not deem it necessary to sanction the incident, sparking anger among fans at the stadium and astonishment from spectators. According to an expert referee in the Sky Sports UK studio, the incident was mishandled by the match officials but not by VAR. Vicario, in fact, should not have been sent off because the infringement did not meet the criteria for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
“In a situation like this,” explained the former referee, “one must consider whether the criteria for denying a goal or constituting an obvious goal-scoring opportunity are met. The referee and VAR need to evaluate the distance between the infringement and the goal, the general direction of play, the likelihood of the opponent maintaining or gaining control of the ball, as well as the position and number of defenders.”
In Vicario’s case, the infringement did not meet these criteria: the presence of numerous defenders near the ball does not allow the situation to be considered as denying a goal, and the dynamics of play do not represent a clear goal-scoring opportunity. However, since it was clearly a handball, the referee should have awarded a free kick in favor of Brentford and cautioned the goalkeeper. VAR did not intervene because the incident does not constitute a clear error regarding a potential red card. Nevertheless, it remains concerning that referee John Brooks did not immediately recognize the infringement.
The Critical Role of the Goalkeeper
Vicario’s incident highlights once again how complex the role of the goalkeeper is in football, with extremely thin margins for error. Their task is to be the last bastion of the team, but a wrong positioning or a hasty decision—such as a handball outside the area—is enough to compromise the entire match.
