Goal-line technology unlikely to be added to Champions League

Goal-line technology does not look set to be introduced into the Champions League any time soon, despite it being given the green light by Fifa this year.

Two systems, Hawk-Eye and GoalRef, have been approved by the International Football Association Board for use worldwide and both were trialled during the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan this month.

The decision of whether to implement the systems falls to competition organisers and Uefa president Michel Platini has made no secret of his preference for the use of additional assistant referees behind each goal ahead of technology.

Now, Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino has all but ruled out the possibility of goal-line technology being introduced into European competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League.

“It’s not a question of having something against goal-line technology,” Infantino told Sky Sports. “The purpose of Uefa and the Uefa president is to help the referees in the best possible way.

“We shouldn’t do things which are maybe not so useful. We have seen how much it costs to install this goal-line technology, and what’s it for at the end of the day? If we would like to do it in Uefa competition it would cost us around €50m (£40.75m) over five years.”

Infantino believes the use of extra officials, a set-up currently used in both the Champions League and Europa League, is far superior to goal-line technology, which he claims is only useful once “every hundred games”.

“Additional assistant referees, which do not only help the referee on the goal line but help them see many critical decisions; they cost much less and they help the referee much more.

“This is what it’s all about and that’s the reason we’ve had it for three years in the Champions League.

“Some national associations, such as Italy, are introducing it [additional assistants] and they are having good results.

“The objective that we have is to help the referees generally, not only on the goal line but accross all activities and not just whether one goal is in or out every hundred matches.

“If you have an additional assistant referee he will normally be able to see that and as well help the referee on other occasions.”