Mauricio Pochettino criticizes VAR as “damaging English football” after Chelsea’s disallowed goal at Aston Villa

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has slammed the use of VAR in English football, labeling it as “damaging” after his side were denied a late winner at Aston Villa. The Blues thought they had completed a remarkable comeback at Villa Park, only for Axel Disasi’s goal to be controversially ruled out for a foul on Diego Carlos in the build-up.

Pochettino expressed his frustration with the decision, stating, “Everyone that was watching the game will feel disappointed. The referee is unbelievable and it’s ridiculous. It is difficult to accept, these type of things in the semi-final two weeks ago it was handball and it was no penalty, the referee he didn’t check it.”

The Chelsea manager believes that VAR is having a negative impact on the game, with decisions like these causing confusion and frustration among players, fans, and managers alike. He emphasized that such incidents are damaging English football and called for a reevaluation of the system.

Despite the disappointment of the disallowed goal, Chelsea showed resilience to fight back from a 2-0 deficit to level the score in the second half. Villa, on the other hand, will see the result as a point gained in their quest for Champions League qualification, despite letting a two-goal lead slip.

With the race for the top four heating up, both Chelsea and Villa will need to regroup and focus on their upcoming fixtures. Pochettino and his team will be looking to put this setback behind them and push for a strong finish to the season, while Villa will be hoping to maintain their position in the top four.

As the debate around VAR continues to rage on, it remains to be seen how the authorities will address the concerns raised by Pochettino and others in the footballing community.