Emery accuses ref of ‘big mistake’ as Villa misses out on Champions League

By Canadian Press on May 25, 2025.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery confronted referee Thomas Bramall after the final whistle in the Premier League’s final round Sunday, unhappy at what he believed was a “big mistake” by the match official that potentially cost the team a place in the lucrative Champions League.

A win over Manchester United at Old Trafford would have qualified Villa for Europe’s elite club competition — and with it a windfall of at least $90 million — and Morgan Rogers thought he had given the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 73rd minute when he dispossessed goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and slotted the ball into an empty net.

However, the referee blew for a foul by Rogers on Bayindir, deeming that the goalkeeper had possession of the ball in his hands before the midfielder kicked it away.

Villa’s players and Emery protested but Bramall’s decision stood, with the Premier League saying on X: “The whistle was blown by the referee before the ball entered the goal, therefore the incident was not reviewable by the VAR.”

United scored about three minutes later through Amad Diallo and wound up winning 2-0, dropping Villa into sixth place — one spot out of the Champions League qualification positions — and into the Europa League.

“The TV is clear with the move but of course we have to accept it,” Emery said. “It was a mistake. A big mistake.”

At the final whistle, Emery stood motionless on the touchline and stared at Bramall for a long time. After confronting the official as he came off the field, Emery continued his discussions with him as they went down the tunnel.

Asked whether he spoke to the referee about the incident, Emery said: “Yes, I told him but he knows it.”

Emery added: “We could have scored one goal and it would have been a good opportunity to continue and keep the result. We didn’t perform enough today to get a good result but we could get it.”

Hours after the match, British broadcaster Sky Sports reported that Villa intended to make an official complaint to the Premier League that a more experienced referee was not selected to officiate the game.

Villa didn’t comment publicly about such a complaint.

An ‘incredible’ decision

Villa captain John McGinn described Bramall’s call as “incredible.”

“It’s so, so hard to take especially when the impact it has on us, as a club and a team, is so big,” the midfielder said. “It’s really, really tough to take and handle.

“I don’t think we deserved to win but if you were 1-0 up at that point and all you need is a point to get to the Champions League, it’s costly.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Steve Douglas, The Associated Press