VAR audios from the River-Vélez controversy raise more doubts due to the referee's initial stance: "For me, it's a goal."

The audios of the VAR often clarify the controversial actions of the matches. However, Conmebol's publication regarding the disallowed goal to Matías Suárez in the game between River Plate and Vélez Sarsfield left more doubts than certainties. Firstly, referee Roberto Tobar reviewed the play and concluded that it was a goal, but the Chilean changed his mind after hearing the members of the VAR and his assistant on the field.

It all started with Esequiel Barco's breakthrough down the wing. When the 'Millonarios' attacker reached the edge of the box, he delivered a crossed service to the far post. At that spot, Matías Suárez struck and scored the 1-1 in the 78th minute. However, the officials in charge of the technology alerted Tobar about an impact on the striker's left arm after hitting the ball with his head.

Then, from the field, the referee signaled for the VAR and approached to review the sequence. Once in front of the monitor and after watching the scene several times, Tobar was clear in stating that "for me it's a goal".

But, Rafael Traci, the VAR referee, replied: "At first, it touches his elbow". Braulio Machado, the AVAR, also intervened: "From behind, there is a change of direction". Despite those arguments, the Chilean referee reiterated that Matías Suárez's intervention was legal. Immediately, the Brazilians in the booth defended their position by showing the play more times.

"He heads it and changes direction", says Machado. "It doesn't seem to me, let's see it again", expresses Tobar. "It hits the hand. The forward heads it on his own open arm and immediately towards the goal", says the AVAR.

So, as the doubt continued, the assistant on the field intervened to see the whole action. "He heads it and there is contact on the biceps, right?... Let it continue... And he throws it with his hand, arm. It seems like handball, it seems disallowed", he determined.

After hearing the voice of a member of his team, Roberto Tobar, after more than five minutes, turned his gaze away from the monitor in the VAR booth, turned towards the field, and signaled with his hand to his arm, annulling the goal that could have been the 1-1 for River.