Emery confronts ref after controversial call hurts Villa in failed bid to reach Champions League

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Aston Villa manager Unai Emery confronted referee Thomas Bramall after the final whistle in the Premier League’s final round Sunday, unhappy at a call by the match official that potentially cost the team a place in the Champions League.

A win over Manchester United at Old Trafford would have qualified Villa for Europe’s elite competition 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.

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However, the referee blew for a foul by Rogers on Bayindir, feeling 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 won 2-0, dropping Villa into sixth place – one spot out of the Champions League qualification positions.

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.

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