An unexpected rule change has been confirmed for the 2022/23 Champions League group stages, while Liverpool have handed out another new contract under the radar.
New technology to be used in Champions League
The future of offside decisions is here sooner than expected! Liverpool’s Champions League group stage matches will be played using FIFA’s Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) this season.
The introduction of the system means the video assistant referees will not need to manually link lines across the pitch or select when the ball has been kicked.
Instead, there will be a sensor inside the match ball which automatically detects when impact has been made, while all players will be mapped to create an AI model of their position.
According to ESPN‘s Dale Johnson, the average time needed to make a VAR offside decision should be around 25 seconds with the new technology in place, as opposed to 70 seconds using the current system.
SAOT will also be used in the UEFA Super Cup tie between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt next week.
This can only be good news for Liverpool, right?
3 things today: Secret new contract & training update
- Pep Lijnders appears to have revealed that elite development coach Vitor Matos has extended his Liverpool contract, with the club only confirming new deals for Jurgen Klopp, Lijnders and Pete Krawietz earlier this year.
- Liverpool and the other 19 Premier League clubs will no longer take the knee before every game, instead only doing so in “significant” points in the season.
Latest Liverpool FC news
- Adam Lallana has given an insight into the intensity of being a Liverpool player, admitting he felt like he “got a little bit more of a life back” after leaving.
Latest transfer chat
- Ex-Liverpool transfer guru Michael Edwards is wanted by Chelsea, with new owner Todd Boehly making him his first-choice option for their sporting director vacancy, according to the Daily Mail.
- Gini Wijnaldum looks to be on his way to Jose Mourinho’s Roma, who are close to a deal to sign him on loan, according to Sky Italy.
- West Ham are set to secure their third signing of the summer, having agreed a £33.5 million deal to sign Amadou Onana from Lille, according to BBC Sport.
Video of the day
You’ve got to laugh. The best thing is that this was the game when Mikel Arteta livened up the Anfield crowd by picking a fight with Klopp at 0-0, before the Reds went on to hit Arsenal for four. Delightful!
EXCLUSIVE CLIP
The atmosphere at Anfield can be intense ?So Mikel Arteta prepares his players by blasting out You’ll Never Walk Alone during training ? #AONArsenal pic.twitter.com/CjBQ3Lsn3T
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) August 2, 2022
