UEFA has replaced the VAR referee for the Champions League group stage match between Real Sociedad and Salzburg without giving any official reason.
![](https://dynamo.kiev.ua/media/posts/2023/11/29/GettyImages-1497187423.jpg)
Tomasz Kwiatkowski was supposed to officiate at the VAR for the match in San Sebastian on 29 November, but he was replaced after working in the 1-1 match between PSG and Newcastle. "The Magpies took the lead but were awarded a controversial penalty in stoppage time when Tino Livramento was adjudged to have handled the ball. The match referee, Shimon Marchyniak, initially disallowed the eleven-metre penalty, but Kwiatkowski asked for a review, which led to the penalty.
The draw deprived Newcastle of a victory that would have qualified the team for the Champions League play-offs. Instead, the Magpies must now defeat Milan and hope for a favour from Borussia Dortmund, who have already guaranteed themselves a place in the next round of the tournament, in their last group game against PSG.