‘Where are you? Wow. It is so, so bad’ – Emery’s remarkable VAR rantImage source, ReutersImage caption, Unai Emery has won five Europa League titles with Spanish clubs – but none with an English oneByEmlyn BegleyBBC Sport journalistPublished50 minutes agoAston Villa manager Unai Emery was highly critical of the video assistant referee for not sending off Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson in two impassioned rants after his side’s 1-0 loss in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.
Anderson avoided punishment for a first-half sliding tackle in which he won the ball but then caught the ankle of Ollie Watkins with a high, studs-up challenge.
Referee Joao Pinheiro did not take action – and there was only what appeared to be a very brief VAR review before the incident was cleared.
Forest would go on to win through a VAR-awarded penalty which Chris Wood scored – but Emery accepted that decision.
“Fantastic, the referee, fantastic,” Emery told TNT Sports. “But the VAR is so, so bad. It’s a clear red card – I don’t understand why the VAR is not calling the referee because it’s so clear.
“And it’s very, very important. It’s a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible.
“The referee – fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.
“But I watched it back – wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR – where are you? Please. It is your responsibility, we are professionals. You are doing very bad work because it was so clear for everybody [to see]. He could break his ankle.
“I respect the referees always but VAR, I don’t understand. It’s not fair.”
