Thibaut Courtois Backs Use of VAR With Technology Set for Champions League Debut

?Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed the use of VAR in the Champions League, with the technology being implemented in all knockout matches for the first time.

Courtois is familiar with VAR, after it was used throughout the World Cup as his Belgium side finished third, while the technology has been used in La Liga over the course of the current campaign.

The former ?Chelsea keeper admitted that while it is yet to be perfected, the positives outweigh the negatives, praising its use while speaking in his press conference ahead of ?Madrid’s last 16 first leg tie against Ajax on Wednesday.

“I like it [VAR]. I think we saw in the World Cup it was a good experience with all countries in favour of VAR and it worked well,” he said, as quoted by ?Goal.

“In Spain, the same thing. Sometimes they aren’t sure about the rules and when to intervene, it needs to be a mistake, some people don’t know this. But in general this is football and it if helps it’s good. Sometimes it might go against you and the same the other way, so this is fair.”

Los Blancos head to Amsterdam bidding to win a fourth consecutive ?Champions League crown, and while they were arguably handed one of the easier ties, ?Courtois is not taking the Eredivisie side lightly.

“I think they have a really good team – Blind and Tadic, experienced players and good players, as well as talented young players like De Jong and De Ligt,” added Courtois. 

“They know how to keep the ball and we have to be careful. I think Ajax have shown in the Champions League they can do really well. They have a good team and qualified for a good reason.”

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