Unai Emery criticized VAR after Aston Villa’s 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Tuesday. The match featured a controversial incident involving a sliding tackle on Ollie Watkins.
As of midday, the referee, Joao Pinheiro, did not issue a red card to Elliot Anderson for the challenge. Emery stated, “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.” This loss marks Emery’s seventh appearance in a Europa League semi-final.
Aston Villa has not won a trophy in 30 years, making this competition crucial for their aspirations. Chris Wood scored a penalty awarded by VAR, which further fueled Emery’s frustrations with officiating. He emphasized that the responsibility lies heavily with VAR officials.
Emery added, “It is a huge mistake, a huge mistake. The VAR has a huge responsibility, and he must give us an explanation.” His comments reflect broader concerns regarding officiating standards in football.
Historically, Emery has been successful in this tournament, winning it three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal. The stakes are high for Aston Villa as they aim to end their lengthy trophy drought.
The next match will be pivotal for both teams as they seek to secure advancement in the competition and improve their standings in the Premier League—Aston Villa currently sits fifth while Nottingham Forest is positioned at sixteenth.