Aston Villa's hopes of Champions League football took a major blow when Morgan Rogers' strike against Manchester United was ruled out - and why VAR couldn't intervene
17:40, 25 May 2025Updated 17:52, 25 May 2025
Aston Villa were left furious on Sunday after their goal was ruled out - despite there not being a foul on Altay Bayındır.
Villa had to beat Manchester United on the final day of the season to book their spot in the Champions League next campaign. And Unai Emery's side took the lead in the final 20 minutes of the game to seemingly book their spot in Europe.
Morgan Rogers had nicked the ball from Bayındır, and turned it into an empty net - but before the ball crossed the line referee Thomas Bramall blew his whistle for a foul.
The images were looked at by VAR, with replays showing Bayındır didn't have control of the ball when Rogers nicked it from him.
However, VAR was unable to overturn the on-field decision as Bramall had blown his whistle the before the ball had gone into the net.
Unai Emery
Unai Emery was furious at the decision
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"Ultimately, that's a huge error from a referee, who has done everything VAR (which is pretty useless) warns against. He blows before the goal goes in," one fan posted.
"Aston Villa have been absolutely robbed. The standard of officiating in this league is absolutely disgraceful," a second fumed. As a third posted: "There’s nothing wrong with this. Aston Villa have been robbed here..."
And another added: "If Aston Villa don't qualify for the Champions League because of that referee decision..."
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And Villa if weren't furious after the decision their mood would be worsened three minutes later when Amad Diallo found the net for the Red Devils.
Amad's goal meant that Emery's side, who had been reduced to ten men, dropped out of the Champions League spots. Emery was furious and continued to protest with the fourth official.
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Emery would continue his protests as United were awarded a penalty ten minutes later he started to sarcastically clap the referees performance.