Mauricio Pochettino slams VAR after Chelsea denied late winner at Aston Villa

Mauricio Pochettino Slams VAR Decision as Chelsea Denied Late Winner

Mauricio Pochettino has expressed his frustration with the use of VAR in English football after Chelsea were denied a dramatic comeback victory against Aston Villa. The match ended in a 2-2 draw after Axel Disasi’s late goal was controversially ruled out for a foul in the build-up.

Chelsea found themselves trailing 2-0 at halftime after an own goal from Marc Cucurella and a Morgan Rogers strike put Villa in the lead. However, the Blues fought back in the second half with goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher to level the scoreline.

The game took a dramatic turn in stoppage time when Disasi’s header appeared to give Chelsea the lead, only for the goal to be disallowed after a VAR review. Pochettino was left incensed by the decision, claiming it has damaged the image of English football.

The Argentine manager criticized the referee’s handling of the situation, stating that the use of VAR has led to inconsistent and controversial decisions in recent matches. Pochettino believes that the decision to disallow the goal was unjust and has called for a more transparent and consistent approach to VAR usage.

Despite the disappointment of dropping points, Chelsea still have a chance to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League. Pochettino praised his team’s performance and remains optimistic about their chances of qualifying for European competition next season.

The draw keeps Villa seven points clear of Tottenham, who have games in hand. Villa will be looking to maintain their position in the top four as they push for Champions League qualification.

Both teams will be in action later this week, with Villa facing Olympiakos in the Conference League semi-final, while Chelsea take on Tottenham in a crucial Premier League clash. The race for European spots is heating up, and every point matters as the season reaches its climax.