Capello Walks Back 'Referee Mafia' Claim as VAR Debate Heats Up
5 January 2026
Capello Tries to Calm the VAR Storm
On Monday, January 5, 2026, veteran Italian coach Fabio Capello issued an official statement to clarify remarks he gave to Marca that sparked a global stir.
The Marca interview described Capello as calling referees a 'mafia' and harshly criticized the performance of Italian referees and the use of the video assistant referee (VAR). The remarks quickly spread across Spanish and Italian media.
In the clarification, Capello explained that when he used the term 'mafia,' he meant to emphasize a closed system among referees that rarely allows dialogue or the entry of current or former sports figures into the VAR room.
Football Italia reported that Capello’s statement repeated this point, noting that his aim was to highlight the closed nature of the group and his call for more openness in debate. In Italy, many VAR staff are former referees or assistants reassigned to the VAR room rather than working on the field.
Capello also stressed his preference for involving current or former players in VAR assessments, warning that the current focus on static frames and slow motion can exaggerate incidents compared with real-time events.
This clarification comes as Capello, who has led Juventus, Roma, Milan, Real Madrid, and has coached England, seeks to calm the ongoing controversy surrounding refereeing decisions.
Punchline 1: If referees started a band, their hit would be "Replay Again"—and the crowd would still ask for more time.
Punchline 2: Capello’s new motto: "When in doubt, VAR it out"—because football is fast, the reviews are slower, and my coffee is already cold.
