Unai Emery didn't hold back. The Aston Villa manager unleashed a furious rant at VAR after his side's 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final, claiming the technology made a "huge, huge mistake" that could have changed the game entirely.
The flashpoint came in the first half when Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson flew into a sliding tackle on Ollie Watkins. While Anderson did win the ball initially, his follow-through was high and studs-up, catching Watkins dangerously on the ankle. Referee Joao Pinheiro waved play on, and the VAR review—if you could call it that—was over in seconds. No red card. No second look. Just silence from the video assistant.
Emery was seething. Speaking to TNT Sports moments after full-time, he praised the on-field referee but laid into the VAR team with a passion rarely seen from the usually composed Basque manager.
"Fantastic, the referee, fantastic," Emery said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "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."
He continued, his frustration boiling over: "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."
The irony wasn't lost on anyone. Forest went on to win the match thanks to a VAR-awarded penalty, with Chris Wood converting from the spot after Lucas Digne was penalized for handling Omari Hutchinson's cross. Emery accepted that decision without complaint, but the Anderson incident clearly left a bitter taste.
"The penalty I didn't watch—everyone is telling me it's a penalty," Emery shrugged when asked about the decisive moment.
For Villa fans, the frustration is understandable. In a high-stakes European semi-final, a single VAR call—or lack thereof—can swing the tie. Emery's rant wasn't just about one tackle; it was about the inconsistency that plagues modern football. One minute VAR is intervening to award a penalty from a ball that barely stayed in play. The next, it's silent on a challenge that could have ended a player's night—or worse.
As the second leg approaches, Emery's message is clear: VAR needs to be better. Because in games this big, "where are you?" isn't a question anyone should have to ask.