NewsHail
26 May 2025
Aston Villa have made a formal complaint after a big mistake by referee Thomas Bramall during their 2-0 loss to Manchester United. The club says the error may have cost them a place in next season’s Champions League.
With the match still 0-0 and Villa down to 10 players after goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was sent off, Morgan Rogers thought he had scored. He took the ball from United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and put it in the net. But the referee blew his whistle and said Bayindir had control of the ball.
TV replays showed Bayindir did not have full control. But since the referee stopped play before the ball crossed the line, the video assistant referee (VAR) could not review the goal.
Soon after, United scored. A second goal from a penalty ended the match 2-0. Villa finished sixth, missing out on Champions League football on goal difference.
Villa's director of football, Damian Vidagany, said they are upset that such an inexperienced referee was given such a key game. Bramall is one of the least experienced referees in the league. Villa believe a more experienced official should have been chosen.
Unai Emery, Villa's manager, said the mistake was clear and hurt their chances badly. He said the referee admitted the error after the match.
Villa’s captain John McGinn called the decision “incredible” and said it was hard to accept, given the impact on the club. He added that if Villa had gone 1-0 up, they might have only needed a draw to reach the Champions League.
Under football rules, a goalkeeper is in control of the ball if it is held between both hands, between a hand and the ground, or while bouncing it. In this case, the ball did not meet any of these rules.
Because the whistle was blown too early, VAR couldn’t help. Experts and pundits agreed that Bayindir didn’t have control, and that the referee made a mistake by stopping play.
Villa said the outcome of the match won't change, but they want to make sure better referees are picked for big games. They also want VAR to be used properly so mistakes like this don’t happen again.
