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Villa fume as 'very soft' foul prevents winning goal

The varied interpretation of the ruling on fouls has left Aston Villa players fuming as the club was kept scoreless against Juventus in the Champions League.

Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio finished the game relieved that what appeared to be a mistake in the final seconds of stoppage time didn't cost his team.

Di Gregorio spilled a cross under pressure from Villa defender Diego Carlos and Morgan Rogers was there to poke the ball into the net.

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A goal was awarded by the on-field referee but after a two-minute check, it was ruled out for a foul on Di Gregorio by Carlos.

“I think it was soft," Villa striker Ollie Watkins said.

“Maybe in the Premier League it’s a goal. But in Europe the goalkeepers are protected a lot.”

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers (left) celebrates scoring his side's first goal before it was ruled out by a VAR review for a foul by team mate Diego Carlos (not pictured).

Morgan Rogers (left) celebrates scoring before it was overturned by a VAR review for a foul. CameraSport via Getty Images

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery supported Watkins' comments, calling for the game to implement a clear and collective understanding of the ruling.

"In England, 80 per cent of those are given a goal and it's not a foul," Emery said.

"It's very soft but we have to accept. Everybody will know, in England the interpretation is different.

"They have to be working to get the same decision when some action like that is coming."

Watch every match of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, streaming ad free, live and on demand on Stan Sport

Unai Emery, Manager of Aston Villa, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25.

Unai Emery, Manager of Aston Villa, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25. Getty

Di Gregorio's Aston Villa counterpart, Emi Martinez, began the night by walking onto the field with his children and parading a pair of trophies for being the world’s best goalkeeper for the last two years.

He finished it by producing an astonishing save that vindicated those awards.

The Argentina international illuminated a 0-0 draw by plucking the ball from behind him and scooping it off the goal line to deny Francisco Conceição what could have been the winner.

Replays showed the ball was almost entirely over the line before Martinez hooked it clear, and the goalkeeper was quickly congratulated by his teammates.

No save by Martinez will ever beat the one he pulled off for Argentina in the last seconds of extra time in the 2022 World Cup final, denying France striker Randal Kolo Muani and keeping teammate Lionel Messi’s dream alive of finally winning soccer’s biggest prize.

He might just have run it close.

It was fitting he produced his wonder save against Juve on the night he showed off the two Yashin Trophies he claimed at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in each of the past two years. The most recent one awarded last month.

The disappointment of the result has not affected Villa's campaign in the Champions League as the club still remains in contention to qualify for the final 16.

But the draw positions the club outside the top eight on goal difference, while Juventus drop to 19th.

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