Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has expressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating standards in the Champions League following a controversial disallowed goal during their recent match against Juventus. The encounter, which concluded in a frustrating 0-0 draw, featured a contentious decision by referee Jesus Gil Manzano that thwarted Villa’s late attempts to claim victory.
In the fourth minute of added time, a loose ball fell to Morgan Rogers after Diego Carlos applied pressure on Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio. Rogers swiftly tapped the ball into an empty net, only for the celebration to be cut short as the referee ruled that Carlos had committed a foul on Di Gregorio. Observers noted that the contact appeared minimal, sparking a debate over the consistency of officiating across different competitions.
Watkins remarked on the incident, stating, “I think it's soft. Maybe in the Premier League it’s a goal, but not in Europe,” highlighting the discrepancies in how such situations are adjudicated. He pointed out that goalkeepers seem to benefit from greater protection under European regulations, which can influence referees’ incident interpretations. “But it had 0-0 written all over it, so it would have been lucky had we won it,” he added, reflecting on the match's outcome and acknowledging factors outside the team's control.
Manager Unai Emery echoed Watkins' sentiments regarding the officiating, stating, “We dominated the match. With the last action, it is the interpretation of the referee. In England, 80 per cent of those is given a goal and it’s not a foul. It's very soft. But in Europe, it could be a foul. We have to accept it.” Emery also commended goalkeeper Emi Martinez for his outstanding performance, particularly a remarkable save against Francisco Conceicao in the second half, asserting that “there is no room for interpretation” in that instance, underscoring the goalkeeper's exceptional skill.
As Aston Villa prepares to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, the team will be eager to turn their fortunes around and build on the positives from their defensive display. However, they must also navigate the intricate and often inconsistent officiating that varies across competitions, all while seeking to halt a winless streak that has now extended to seven matches, raising concerns about their progression in the league phase of the Champions League, particularly against a Juventus side missing eight key players.