Aston Villa manager Unai Emery voiced strong criticism of the video assistant referee following his team’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final. His frustration centered on an incident in the opening half when Elliot Anderson escaped punishment for a sliding challenge on Ollie Watkins.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery voiced strong criticism of the video assistant referee following his team’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final. His frustration centered on an incident in the opening half when Elliot Anderson escaped punishment for a sliding challenge on Ollie Watkins.
During the tackle, Anderson appeared to win the ball but followed through with a high, studs-up contact on Watkins’ ankle. Referee Joao Pinheiro chose not to penalize the action, and only a brief VAR check took place before play continued without further review.
Emery openly questioned why the situation was not examined more thoroughly, insisting the decision was obvious and should have resulted in a dismissal. He stressed that the responsibility lay with VAR to intervene, describing the moment as a serious mistake with potential consequences for player safety.
While clearly dissatisfied with the review process, the Villa coach made a point of praising the on-field official, stating that Pinheiro handled the match well overall despite the controversial incident.
Although critical of the earlier decision, Emery accepted the penalty awarded to Forest, which ultimately decided the match. The spot-kick was given after Lucas Digne handled a cross from Omari Hutchinson, with Chris Wood converting to secure the victory.
Initially, it appeared the ball might have gone out of play before the cross, but replays confirmed it had remained in bounds, leading to the intervention and final ruling. Emery acknowledged he had not personally reviewed the incident but accepted the consensus that it was the correct call.
His focus remained firmly on the earlier challenge, which he believed carried far greater significance. He argued that such tackles could result in serious injury and reiterated that VAR exists to correct exactly these kinds of situations.
Emery continued to question the lack of action, emphasizing that while referees may miss incidents in real time, the technology is intended to provide clarity and fairness when reviewing critical moments.
Speaking again in his post-match press conference, Emery maintained his stance and called for an explanation regarding the decision not to act. He repeated that the challenge on Watkins could have caused significant harm and described the failure to intervene as unacceptable.
He highlighted his long experience in football, noting that while some decisions can be marginal, this particular incident was clear in his view. Emery reiterated his general support for the use of VAR but stressed the importance of applying it correctly and consistently.
The Villa manager also reflected on his previous comments about the system, having expressed support for it in the past as a tool to assist referees. However, he pointed out that its effectiveness depends on proper implementation.
Referencing earlier situations, he noted that clear decisions must be acted upon when using video review. For Emery, the issue was not the existence of VAR, but how it was used in a moment he believed required decisive action.
