'Where are you? Wow. It is so, so bad' - Emery's remarkable VAR rant

Breaking news from the world of sport: It is so, so bad' - Emery's remarkable VAR rant Image source, Image caption, Unai Emery has won five Europa League titles with Spanish clubs - but none with an English one By Emlyn Begley Sport journalist Published 11 minutes ago Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was highly critical of the video assistant referee for not sending off Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson in two impassioned rants after his side's 1-0 loss in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final. Anderson avoided punishment for a first-half sliding tackle in which he won the ball but then caught the ankle of Ollie Watkins with a high, studs-up challenge. Referee Joao Pinheiro did not take action - and there was only what appeared to be a very brief VAR review before the incident was cleared.

Forest would go on to win through a VAR-awarded penalty which Chris Wood scored - but Emery accepted that decision. "Fantastic, the referee, fantastic," Emery told TNT Sports. "But the VAR is so, so bad.

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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.

"The referee - fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes. "But I watched it back - wow.

He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR - where are you? It is your responsibility, we are professionals.

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You are doing very bad work because it was so clear for everybody . He could break his ankle. "I respect the referees always but VAR, I don't understand.

" 'He must give us an explanation' Emery was furious about the decision when he spoke to the TV cameras moments after full-time - and still felt the same when he sat down to face the written media in the post-match news conference. He continued: "The penalty I didn't watch - everyone is telling me it's a penalty. " Lucas Digne was penalised for handling Omari Hutchinson's cross - with Wood converting the spot-kick.

It was not initially given as it appeared the ball had gone behind for a goal-kick before Hutchinson hooked it back in, but replays showed the Forest player had kept it in play. But back to the decision that infuriated the Spaniard. "I watched the action of Anderson on Watkins, and the referee did a fantastic job," Emery said.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.