MANCHESTER Uniteds controversial penalty winner at PSG was rightly awarded - according to the guidelines from the Uefa referees' chief.
Slovakian official Damir Skomina initially awarded a corner kick when Presnel Kimpembe blocked Diogo Dalots late shot.
Dalot appealed for a spot-kick, although hardly with any vehemence and United were ready to take the corner.
Instead, Skomina was then informed by Italian VAR Massimiliano Irruti that he had missed a potential penalty offence.
It was then down to Skomina to view the incident himself on the pitch-side monitor to confirm the view of the VAR.
But Uefa refs chief, former Italian whistler Roberto Rossetti, outlined the criteria at a briefing in Rome last month.
Asked when VAR officials would be expected to intervene over alleged handball decisions in the box, Rossetti explained: There are three things that we start with.
The first is whether there is movement of the hand towards the ball.
Then there is the distance between the players. And finally the position of the hand or arm.
If the VAR sees a clear movement towards the ball, clear movement, there is a need to intervene.
And if we see a clear unnatural position, 100 per cent, and the player making his body bigger to block the ball, we need to intervene.
Kimpembes body posture as he turned to block Dalots late shot was exactly the type of making his body bigger incident Rossetti highlighted with a series of video clips.
He added: If a player blocks with his arm clear of the body, it IS a penalty.
The same presentation was also given to Champions League broadcasters and at the workshop in Switzerland that only five of the 16 surviving managers attended.
Ironically, one of those who did go was PSG boss Thomas Tuchel but a frustrated Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin pointed out: That was a lack of respect for Roberto Rosetti.
We want, always, the referee at the centre of the decision-making process
The influence of managers is huge and if they complain about referees they should at least come see what the experts say about VAR.
So no, they have no excuses any more - especially the ones who did not come.
The key was that it was Skomina, not the VAR man, who took the final call.
Rossetti added last month: We want, always, the referee at the centre of the decision-making process.
Then, when VAR has clear video image evidence, he can intervene. Only in case of clear evidence that something is wrong, a clear mistake.
For interpretations, we want the referee to go out of the field of play and watch with his own eyes on the screen.
Then the referee will take the final decision. We believe the referee must do that.
Why? Because the referee has to take responsibility, continue the match and explain to the players what he has seen.
It cant be someone in another place, who cant be seen. The referee has to be at the centre.
This season, backed by PGMOL boss Mike Riley, Prem refs have ignored the World Cup protocols on handball.
And they will do again next season.
Riley and his officials believe that there needs to be more sustained and evident intent for a spot kick to be avoided and in a situation where Kimpembe turned his back on the ball, would normally rule that could not be said to be the case.
It means that, were a similar incident to take place in the Prem - or even in a VAR-available FA Cup tie - it would NOT be deemed a spot kick.
The International FA Board agreed new handball Laws, to come into effect in June, in Aberdeen last week.
That stated that if the ball struck an arm or hands raised above the shoulder, it would always be deemed a handball offence.
And should a player place his arms outside the natural silhouette of his body, he will run the risk of a spot-kick being awarded.
However, the final decision remains the preserve of the referee, with Riley and PGMOL sticking with their softer interpretation of what makes a handball.
Man Utd awarded controversial VAR penalty against PSG in injury time for Kimpembe handball
