Unai Emery criticises VAR after Aston Villa’s Europa League defeat
Unai Emery launched a scathing attack on VAR officials after Aston Villa suffered a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final first leg, reports BritPanorama.
During the opening half, Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson executed a sliding challenge that won the ball but subsequently caught Ollie Watkins with raised studs on the ankle. Match official Joao Pinheiro took no action at the time, and what appeared to be only a cursory VAR check followed before play continued.
Emery was left incensed by the decision not to show a red card. Speaking to TNT Sports immediately after the final whistle, he praised the on-field referee while lambasting the video technology. “Fantastic, the referee, fantastic,” Emery stated. “But the VAR is so, so bad. It’s a clear red card – I don’t understand why the VAR is not calling the referee because it’s so clear.”
The Villa boss awarded Pinheiro full marks for his performance, stating the Portuguese official deserved “10 out of 10” for controlling the match. However, having reviewed the footage, Emery remained adamant that the tackle warranted dismissal. “He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR – where are you? Please. It is your responsibility, we are professionals. You are doing very bad work because it was so clear for everybody [to see],” he added.
Emery’s frustration continued to surface during the press conference. “It is a huge mistake – a huge mistake. Ollie Watkins was close to breaking his ankle. The VAR has a huge responsibility and he must give us an explanation. It is crazy!” he declared, highlighting the oversight as a significant error.
Drawing on his two decades of managerial experience, he emphasised that while marginal calls are part of football, this incident left no room for interpretation. “One action like that, there is no doubt. Where is VAR?” he questioned. Forest secured their victory through a penalty converted by Chris Wood, a decision that itself followed VAR intervention.
The spot-kick was awarded against Lucas Digne for handball after Omari Hutchinson’s cross struck the defender’s arm. Initially, officials appeared to have ruled the ball had crossed the byline for a goal-kick before Hutchinson retrieved it and VAR confirmed the Forest winger had kept it in play. Notably, Emery raised no objection to this particular use of the technology.
“The penalty I didn’t watch – everyone is telling me it’s a penalty,” he acknowledged. Villa won’t have too long to reflect on their defeat, facing Tottenham on Sunday. As for Forest, they’ll aim to continue their recent resurgence when battling Chelsea on Monday.
This clash underscores the sometimes contentious relationship between rules and reality in football, where the fine margins can spark debates that linger far beyond the pitch.
