Video referees to be used for Italy v Germany

A new system which sees video replays used to help key refereeing decisions will receive another high-profile trial when Italy host world champions Germany at San Siro on Tuesday.

In March, the International Football Association Board approved a two-year test of the Video Assistant Referees' system (VARs) which – if successful – could be used at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The technology has already been tested in the international friendly between Italy and France in September and has also been trialled in six other countries - Australia, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal and the United States.

However, at this stage the trial is still at a 'semi-live' level, meaning while the VARs can review goals scored, penalties awarded, red cards and mistaken identities to help with decisions, the match referee will not yet be able to review footage on a touchline monitor.

"I think it will be the same," Marco van Basten, FIFA's chief of technical development, said ahead of the latest high-profile experiment.

"With the assistant referee we have one more eye. They can help the referees.

"I hope to work for that, that football can become more honest. That is everything we want to do. At the end, the result must be honest.

"Football will not be changed by this. I am convinced it will be good. It may take some time. Players, referees will have to adapt a bit but it will be good."