Controversial referee decision denies Aston Villa Champions League spot
Image Source: Getty
On the last day of the Premier League season, a questionable refereeing call killed off Aston Villa's dream of a Champions League place they coveted so long, in a 2-0 loss at Old Trafford to Manchester United.
The game turned on the moment that Villa's Morgan Rogers appeared to have scored, but his goal was disallowed for what appeared to be a foul on United's goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir. That incident, together with other match facts, left Villa out of Europe's leading club competition.
Disallowed goal in the Premier League sparks controversy
Rogers was the man to punish a loose ball from a headed Bayindir after the goalkeeper could not collect cleanly, slotting it into the net in the 55th minute with the scores still level.
Yet referee Thomas Bramall had already whistled for a foul as Rogers challenged the keeper. This hyperactive whistle made the action non-reviewable by VAR, prompting outrage on the part of Villa players and supporters. Replays showed Bayindir did not have full control of the ball, with many left thinking the goal should have stood.
Ex-referee Peter Walton agreed, saying it was a goal and should have stood.
Villa boss Unai Emery voiced his displeasure at the decision, which he said was a
"big mistake"
.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn
IC Markets
Tìm hiểu thêm
Undo
But Hibernian captain John McGinn was also left grumbling about the decision to hand an inexperienced referee such an important match with so much riding on it for the club.
Implications for Aston Villa's European ambitions
The goal that wasn't a turning point. Shortly later, Manchester United went ahead from Amad Diallo, before a late Christian Eriksen penalty ensured Villa left with nothing from the encounter. The defeat, coupled with a win for Newcastle United, saw Villa end the league season in sixth place on the same number of points as Newcastle, but with an inferior goal difference.
Newcastle, therefore, sealed the fourth and last Champions League place, causing Villa to drop into the subsequent year's Europa League.
The financial implications are huge, with lost revenue in the Champions League of more than £100m believed to be at stake for Villa. The club is also said to be considering filing an official complaint against their man in the middle, in order to get an explanation and, potentially, some form of accountability.
Also Read:
Premier League: Chelsea, Aston Villa boost Champions League qualification hopes with wins over Man Utd, S
Nonetheless, Villa's season had its bright moments, with an impressive campaign in European competition and an above-average league showing. Yet the nature of their Champions League exit leaves a bad taste, illustrating the power that refereeing decisions can have on clubs.
Get
IPL 2025
match
schedules
,
squads
,
points table
, and live scores for
CSK
,
MI
,
RCB
,
KKR
,
SRH
,
LSG
,
DC
,
GT
,
PBKS
, and
RR
. Check the latest
IPL Orange Cap
and
Purple Cap
standings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Reijnders joins Manchester City from AC Milan in $150M transfer blitz
Manchester City concluded a $150 million spending spree ahead of the Club World Cup by announcing the signing of Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Reijnders moved for an initial fee of 55 million euros ($63 million) and is the second midfielder after France playmaker Rayan Cherki to join City in the special June 1-10 transfer window created to allow sides in the 32-team Club World Cup to reshape their squads. City paid Lyon $41 million for Cherki and also signed Algeria left back Rayan At-Nouri from Wolverhampton for $42 million. After deciding not to push to sign Florian Wirtz the Germany playmaker is close to joining Liverpool, according to reports in the British media City has spent around the same amount on three players. Add this latest splurge to an outlay of more than $200 million in the winter transfer window and City has already spent at least $350 million on players in 2025 to provide manager Pep Guardiola with a squad capable of reclaiming the Premier League title from Liverpool. Breakthrough seasonReijnders has just been named as the best midfielder in Serie A after a breakthrough campaign in which he scored 15 goals and added five assists across all competitions for Milan, which endured a dismal season and failed to qualify for Europe. He joined Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023 for a fee of around 20 million euros (then $22.4 million) and recently signed a contract extension through to June 2030. That's the length of his contract at City, too. City is releasing De Bruyne to end his 10-year stint at the club and now has Reijnders and Cherki to link up with Rodri in an enticing midfield set-up. Reijnders said he was ecstatic to be joining City. It is also a dream come true to play in the Premier League," he said. This league has seen many of the best Dutch players perform through the years and it's an inspiration to follow in their footsteps. City director of football Hugo Viana said Reijnders who specializes in being a ball-carrying midfielder will add extra energy, composure and creativity to our midfield. City announced the transfer of Reijnders a day after the special transfer window closed but appears to have signed him in time for him to play in the new-look, 32-team Club World Cup, which starts on Saturday. City is in the same group as Juventus, Al Ain and Wydad Casablanca and its first match is on June 18.
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Capgemini named transformation partner for India's first Rugby Premier League
VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 11: Capgemini today announced the extension of its association with IRFU by becoming the transformation partner for the first ever league-based, owned rugby franchise. The GMR Rugby Premier League (RPL) will be played in a Rugby 7s format. As the official transformation partner, Capgemini will help to enhance player performance, uplift players' social and sports profiles, and increase grassroots participation in rugby. Rugby has seen a steady growth in participation and awareness in India, and it now takes a bold leap with the introduction of GMR RPL, making it among the top five sports for India's youth. Capgemini's association with rugby spans over 30 years globally, and this new collaboration with GMR RPL is an extension of its previous India engagement, as the associate sponsor for the Rugby 7s Women & Girls and the Rugby 7s Men & Boys teams. Further strengthening its India rugby footprint, Capgemini has also renewed its three-year partnership with IRFU to support both Rugby 15s and 7s. Together, these initiatives reflect Capgemini's enduring dedication to advancing rugby at both grassroots and elite levels--locally and internationally. Commenting on the extended partnership, Ashwin Yardi, CEO of Capgemini in India, said, "Capgemini's association with rugby is deeply rooted in our driving principles - team spirit, bold thinking, leadership, innovation, and a genuine sense of enjoyment. Sports is a key pillar of our global engagement and our partnership with IRFU and GMR sports for RPL has further strengthened our commitment to inclusion on and off the field. We aim to make rugby in India more inclusive and accessible, supporting player development from grassroots to the professional level." Rahul Bose, President, IRFU, said, "We are proud to mark this historic step for Indian rugby with a partner that shares our long-term vision. Capgemini's commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and performance will enable us to grow the game sustainably - from grassroots engagement to elite competition - while strengthening the values at the heart of the sport. With the start of the GMR RPL, their expertise and values-driven approach will be instrumental in helping us shape a modern, inclusive, and competitive future for the sport." Satyam Trivedi, CEO, GMR Sports, added, "The GMR RPL represents a crucial milestone in our efforts to enhance the status of rugby in India. With Capgemini joining, the sport takes a major leap forward in reimagining how it can be positioned, watched, and experienced in India. This alliance symbolizes the perfect blend of tradition and innovation to grow the sport, enhance performance, and bring fans closer to the action than ever before." Inspired by its late founder, a passionate rugby enthusiast and player, rugby holds a special place in the history of the Group. Capgemini has sponsored World Rugby and some of its major men's (Rugby World Cup 2007 and 2023) and women's international competitions (Rugby World Cup 2021), as well as the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Capgemini is also a Principal Partner of Women's Rugby World Cup 2025. The Group plays a pivotal role in advancing inclusivity in the sport as a Global Partner of the Women in Rugby initiative and supporting the Women in Rugby Leadership Programme, which aims to empower women through leadership and expand the reach of the women's game globally. The inaugural season of the GMR RPL will be held in India in June 2025. In the first tournament of its kind in the country, GMR RPL will feature some of the world's finest rugby stars from every major sevens playing nation, alongside India's talent. GMR RPL will broadcast live on JioHotstar and STAR SPORTS in India and can be viewed online on RugbyPass TV as well. About Capgemini Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of EUR22.1 billion. Capgemini in India comprises nearly 175,000 team members working across 13 locations: Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Noida, Pune, Salem, and Tiruchirappalli. Get The Future You Want | Learn more about Capgemini in India at
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Indian junior women's hockey team beats Belgium 2-1 during European tour
Antwerp [Belgium], June 11 (ANI): The Indian junior women's hockey team continued their winning streak in the tour of Europe with a well-deserved win over Belgium. On Tuesday, India edged past the Belgian side with a tight scoreline of 2-1 at the Hockey Centre of Excellence, Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp, Belgium. Lalthantluangi (35') and Geeta Yadav (50') scored goals for India, as per a press release from Hockey India. The first half remained goalless as both sides could not manage to break the deadlock in the tight contest. In the 35th minute, India finally scored the opening goal as Lalthantluangi successfully converted a fortunate penalty stroke. In the last quarter, Van Hellemont (48') scored the equaliser through a field goal for Belgium. However, just two minutes later, Geeta Yadav replied with a field goal herself and grabbed the winner for India. India then defended well to fend off the Belgian attacks in the final 10 minutes of the game and ensured they enjoyed another win over Belgium. After two consecutive wins, the Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team will next play Belgium for the third and final time in their Tour of Europe on June 12. The Indian junior hockey team continued their international campaign with a five-match European tour from June 8-17, as a part of which they are taking on Belgium, Australia, and the Netherlands. The team, which recently concluded a promising outing at the Four Nations Tournament in Rosario, Argentina, started the tour with three matches against Belgium at the Hockey Centre of Excellence, Wilrijkse Plein, in Antwerp. They will then face Australia at Beerschot Tennis Hockey Padel Club, in Kontich, before wrapping up the tour with a match against the Netherlands at Hockey Club Kampong, in Utrecht. In Argentina, the Indian side delivered strong performances against quality opposition. They registered a 2-1 win and a 2-2 (2-3 shootout) loss against Chile, earned a 1-1 (2-0 shootout) win and a 2-4 loss against hosts Argentina, and defeated Uruguay twice -- 3-2 and 2-2 (3-1 shootout). The tour served as an important step in the team's preparations, offering valuable lessons in handling high-pressure scenarios and adapting to different playing styles. Notably, these matches are also a key part of India's preparation for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey Women's Junior World Cup 2025, scheduled to take place in Santiago, Chile, in December 2025. Facing strong international opponents in varied conditions will help fine-tune the squad's combinations, build match temperament, and instil the confidence required to perform on the world stage. (ANI)
