Aston Villa furious after referee ruins Champions League push
Aston Villa’s dream of reaching the Champions League ended in anger after a costly referee mistake at Manchester United. The turning point came in the 73rd minute when Villa believed they had scored a crucial goal.
Harry Maguire’s weak header forced United keeper Altay Bayindir to scramble. As he tried to grab the ball, Villa’s Morgan Rogers poked it free and scored. However, referee Thomas Bramall had blown his whistle before the ball went in. The video assistant referee (VAR) couldn’t review the goal, so it didn’t count. This angered Villa’s players, manager Unai Emery, and their fans.
The match stayed goalless until United struck late. Amad Diallo scored with a header from Bruno Fernandes’ cross. Later, Bramall gave United a penalty when Ian Maatsen fouled Diallo. Christian Eriksen scored, sealing the 2-0 win.
Emery said the referee’s call killed Villa’s Champions League hopes. The team had been close to a top-four finish, but this mistake ended them in sixth place.
