Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has expressed his disappointment with the referee’s decision to add only 3 minutes of stoppage time during the Aston Villa vs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) UEFA Champions League match. Despite Unai Emery’s team winning the match 3-2, they were eliminated from the competition due to a 5-4 aggregate score. Carragher believes the referee’s decision was inadequate, considering the amount of time wasted during the match.
A Crucial Decision
The decision to add only 3 minutes of stoppage time has sparked debate among fans and pundits, with many questioning the referee’s judgment. Given the high stakes of the match, it’s understandable that Carragher and others would feel that more minutes should have been added. The narrow margin of defeat on aggregate highlights the significance of the added time, and whether it could have made a difference in the final outcome.
Unai Emery’s Fury
PSG manager Unai Emery was visibly furious with the referee’s decision, expressing his frustration on the sidelines. Emery’s body language and reactions suggested that he felt the referee’s decision was unfair and potentially game-changing. As a seasoned manager, Emery understands the importance of stoppage time and how it can impact the outcome of a match.
Impact on the Match
Aston Villa’s narrow margin of defeat on aggregate means that PSG’s fate was decided by the slimmest of margins. If more stoppage time had been added, it’s possible that PSG could have scored another goal, potentially altering the outcome of the match. The referee’s decision has overshadowed PSG’s win, with many focusing on what could have been.
-
-
-
-
AS Monaco are in something of a crisis heading into Tuesday night’s Champions League clash against Aston Villa. Despite being in the respectable position of fourth in Ligue 1, Adi Hutter’s side have only won one of their last eight matches in all competitions and that victory came against lower league side Union Saint-Jean in the French Cup. Excluding that routine 4-1 win, Monaco have only claimed victory in one of their last 10. Powered by Their young side hasn’t fully recovered from their last defeat to Benfica at home matchweek five of the Champions League league phase. They were winning 2-1 until goals from Arthur Cabral and then Zeki Amdouni turned the game around in the final stages. READ | Why Ollie Watkins ‘got a bit frustrated’ as striker closes in on Aston Villa history READ | Aston Villa’s dream transfer window as five sign and seven leave in January Then, following a defeat at Marseille and a win over Toulouse in the league, Monaco lost 3-0 at Arsenal in matchweek six. It leaves them 16th in the league phase table, but only three points behind Villa in fifth place. After that loss at the Emirates Stadium, Monaco played out a 0-0 draw with Reims before they suffered defeats to Paris Saint-Germain in the league and cup either side of beating Union Saint-Jean. Failure to beat Nantes and then being knocked out of the French Cup via penalties against Reims meant Monaco’s trip to Montpellier was a ‘must win’ to get them back on track. “I think this is the right match to motivate the whole team just before the Champions League,” Mohamed Salisu said before the game. “It is a very important match to get an energy boost and regain confidence in order to best prepare for the match against Aston Villa. We believe in ourselves and we want to take the three points. “We have no doubts, football is about ups and downs depending on the period. We are currently in a bad moment and we have to fight to get back to the top. The season had started very well and we were in good form, we just need to believe in what we are doing on the pitch and listen to the coach’s tactical advice to get back to our level.” But Monaco fell to a shock 2-1 defeat against Jean-Louis Gasset’s Montepellier and Hutter claimed the important match with Villa wasn’t in the minds of his players. Powered by “Today, it’s more than a big disappointment, it’s a real gut punch for us and everyone at the club,” Hutter said after full-time. “At the start of the season, the wins were stacking up, everyone was happy. I have been in professional football for 35 years as a player before and as a coach now. It is not the first time this has happened to me and the main thing I have learned is to stay positive, work on the details and help the team.” Asked if he thought that the Champions League match against Villa could have affected the team’s mentality, Hutter responded: “I don’t think so, I have the feeling that the team was completely focused on this match. You could see that in the first half, we wanted to make the difference quickly but we missed too many chances. In the second half, we wanted to score the second goal but we made an individual error. We then had no right to concede another goal. “We tried to come back after with several chances in the last minutes but it was too little. I have a lot of respect for Montpellier but we needed to impose ourselves to regain confidence. Tuesday will be a completely different match, it’s the Champions League at home, but I don’t think the team already had Aston Villa in mind.” What is your Monaco vs Villa score prediction? Tell us here READ NEXT: Louie Barry makes transfer decision as Aston Villa told he’s ‘ready’ to accept deal Aston Villa transfer news with latest on Garcia and Bade as trio could leave I visited huge new Midland charity shop and wished the previous store never shut down Marks & Spencer has £29.50 ‘best alternative’ to Levi’s that’s £80 cheaper Aston Villa favourite could join Premier League rivals Man City ‘on loan’ Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
January 20, 2025
The controversy surrounding the referee’s decision has sparked a wider debate about refereeing in the Champions League. As the competition continues, refereeing decisions will remain under intense scrutiny, and this match will likely be remembered as a pivotal moment in the tournament. The debate surrounding stoppage time will undoubtedly continue, with many calling for greater consistency and transparency in refereeing decisions. PSG’s elimination will be a major disappointment for the team and its fans, and the referee’s decision will be a major talking point in the days to come.
