Emery Slams VAR After Aston Villa's Europa League Defeat

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery delivered scathing criticism of VAR officials following his team's 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final, expressing outrage over the failure to dismiss Elliot Anderson for a dangerous challenge.

Anderson escaped punishment for a first-half sliding tackle that, while winning the ball, saw him catch Ollie Watkins' ankle with what appeared to be a high, studs-up challenge. Referee Joao Pinheiro opted not to penalize the incident, and only a brief VAR review took place before play continued.

Forest secured victory through a VAR-awarded penalty converted by Chris Wood—a decision Emery acknowledged as correct.

"Fantastic, the referee, fantastic," Emery told TNT Sports in his immediate post-match interview. "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 Spanish manager emphasized the severity of his concerns, stating: "It's very, very important. It's a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible. The referee - fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes."

Emery's frustration intensified when reviewing the incident, declaring: "I watched it back - wow. Huge. 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. He could break his ankle."

'He must give us an explanation'

The Villa manager maintained his position during the subsequent press conference, reiterating his acceptance of the penalty decision while continuing to challenge the Anderson incident.

Lucas Digne was penalized for handling Omari Hutchinson's cross, leading to Wood's successful penalty conversion. The decision required VAR intervention to confirm that Hutchinson had kept the ball in play before crossing.

Emery praised the referee's overall performance while directing his criticism specifically at VAR: "I watched the action of Anderson on Watkins, and the referee did a fantastic job. I was so, so feeling comfortable with how he managed the game in 90 minutes, but after watching it again, it is the VAR responsibility."

He characterized the oversight as "a huge mistake," emphasizing the potential consequences: "Ollie Watkins was close to breaking his ankle. The VAR has a huge responsibility and he must give us an explanation. It is crazy!"

The experienced coach highlighted the limitations of on-field officials compared to VAR technology: "The ref can't watch it like me. One action like that can break his ankle. The VAR makes sense if they are fair."

Drawing on his extensive coaching experience, Emery concluded: "In football I work 20 years as a coach. Sometimes decisions are tight. I am 100% with VAR, but we must manage it good and in the right way. One action like that, there is no doubt. Where is VAR?"

What has Emery previously said?

Emery's criticism represents a notable shift from his previous public support for VAR technology. In October 2023, he stated: "I'm always positive with VAR. I think it is good for football. I think it helps the referee always."

More recently, in December 2024 following Jhon Duran's dismissal against Newcastle United, Emery reiterated his backing while emphasizing proper implementation: "Always I am supporting VAR, but you have to use VAR. Today the red card was clear for the referee straight away. He was the only person in the stadium who couldn't take his time."