Lille coach Paulo Fonseca raged at the officials after his team fell to a 2-1 loss against Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final tie, insisting Ollie Watkins’ opening goal should have been disallowed.
Villa will take a lead to France for next week’s second leg following goals from Watkins and John McGinn, though Bafode Diakite’s late header kept the tie on a knife edge.
However, Fonseca was furious that Villa’s opening goal was allowed to stand, saying Morgan Rogers fouled his marker at the back post as Watkins headed home from McGinn’s corner.
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The former Roma boss fumed: “I understand it’s difficult for the referee but with VAR it’s incredible when they miss these things.
“It’s not good, what’s going on, for football. They must look at what’s going on at the moment.
“It’s not football, it’s blocking like in basketball. The first goal was a clear foul and a clear block.”
Emery, meanwhile, is already anticipating another tight encounter at Stade Pierre-Mauroy as Villa chase their first major European trophy since lifting the European Cup in 1982.
Here’s to many more, Mister. pic.twitter.com/o9Rpfvymsc
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 11, 2024
“The result was very tight and it was a tight match, very difficult,” Emery said.
“We prepared the match by understanding and respecting them, and we won. We have to be more or less happy, but also respect them even more than we did.
“They will be strong at their stadium and now we have to try to play 90 more minutes, thinking how we can analyse this match deeply. We have to try to get a good result there.”
Villa turn their attentions to the Premier League on Sunday, as they go to Arsenal for a match which could have huge ramifications in the title race and the battle for a top-four finish.
