CBF Shares VAR Audio from the Controversial Botafogo vs Mirassol Match

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) shared the VAR audio from a key moment in the 3-3 draw between Botafogo and Mirassol during Round 12 of the 2025 Série A, as reported by Lance!. The incident occurred in stoppage time when João Victor fell in the box after contact with Botafogo’s Cuiabano.

Referee Bruno Pereira Vasconcelos was told to check the play on the monitor by VAR official Emerson de Almeida Ferreira. In the audio, Emerson said: “There is contact, and the defender is not playing the ball. Now I need to confirm if the ball was in play.”

The review found a foul, but the offside line indicated that João Victor was offside when the play started. Vasconcelos originally awarded a penalty but reversed his decision after the offside check. “For me, it’s a clear penalty. The defender steps in and impacts the play. But since the attacker was offside, I will restart with an indirect free kick,” the referee explained.

The match ended in a 3-3 tie at Nilton Santos Stadium. Botafogo took an early three-goal lead in the first half, but Mirassol staged an impressive comeback, scoring three goals in 16 minutes, with the game highlighted by the refereeing controversy.