Aston Villa has filed a complaint with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) over referee Thomas Bramall’s handling in their 1-0 loss to Manchester United on Sunday. The match, which saw the team finish sixth in the Premier League table, was crucial for qualification to next season’s Champions League.
Bramall’s decision to disallow Morgan Rogers’ goal, claiming that goalkeeper Altay Bayindir had possession of the ball before kicking it away, proved pivotal. The VAR system was unable to intervene due to Bramall blowing his whistle prematurely, after which the technology could not be activated.
Villa director of football operations Damian Vidagany expressed frustration with the selection process for referees in high-stakes matches like this one. “We can do nothing about the decision,” he said, but emphasized that it was the referee’s experience level and appointment that were at issue. Bramall has been on the league’s list for three years.
The club acknowledges the outcome of the match will not change, but aims to address the selection methodology to ensure that high-stakes matches receive proper officiating and VAR is effective in such situations. Manager Unai Emery stopped short of blaming the decision for Villa’s failure to secure a Champions League spot, instead focusing on the broader context of the season and key moments from the match.
Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45315745