A controversial VAR decision led to Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo receiving a red card in Sunday’s London derby against Arsenal, sparking renewed debate over officiating consistency in top-tier football.
The Ecuadorian midfielder was dismissed in the 38th minute, leaving Chelsea with ten players. He had committed a studs-up tackle on Arsenal’s Mikel Merino.
Referee Anthony Taylor initially issued a yellow card for the foul. However, following a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the decision was upgraded to a red card.
The incident has drawn comparisons to a similar challenge that occurred in a Libertadores final. In that instance, Flamengo’s Erik Pulgar received only a yellow card for a tackle described as visually similar.
This disparity in outcomes fuels criticism regarding the subjective nature of VAR and referee interpretations across different matches and competitions.
A social media post from DAZN Portugal, dated November 30, 2025, showed Caicedo and alluded to him being “surprised.”
O Caicedo surpreendido… só não sabemos com o quê ??Nesta DAZN Black Friday, temos grandes conteúdos ??????´?????? para veres.?? Regista-te em https://t.co/APTKI0EKmb#DAZNPremier #DAZNPremier pic.twitter.com/VPEAIsYsYL
— DAZN Portugal (@DAZNPortugal) November 30, 2025