Aston Villa were denied a crucial Champions League victory over Juventus after Morgan Rogers’ stoppage-time goal was disallowed.
Rogers’ composed finish was overturned following a VAR review, which ruled that Diego Carlos had fouled Juventus goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio in an aerial challenge.
The result extends Villa’s winless streak to seven matches.
While Unai Emery’s side ended a four-game losing run with a draw against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, they have not secured a victory since beating Bologna 2-0 five weeks ago.
Villa created the better chances throughout the match but struggled to break down a Juventus side known for having the best defensive record in Serie A.
Emery expressed frustration after the match, suggesting that Rogers’ goal might have stood if the incident had occurred in a domestic competition.
“In England the interpretation is different,” he said. “The English referees, when actions like that, the interpretation is a clear no foul, but in Europe that interpretation is different.
“When the action happened, I was thinking here in Europe it’s a foul. In England, not.”
Emery brought on super-sub Jhon Duran after 77 minutes in the hope he could make a difference.
Duran had scored in each of his two home Champions League appearances for Villa this season, but the Colombian this time failed to make such an impact from the bench.
Juventus had their moments, with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez producing a superb save when he palmed away Francisco Conceicao’s shot at the near post. The Portuguese winger’s low effort had been centimetres from fully crossing the line.
Ultimately it was a safety-first performance from the home side, who have gone seven games without a win for the first time under Emery.
The Villans sit ninth in the Champions League table while Juventus are 19th and without a win in their last three games in Europe.
Villa juggling demands of Premier League and Europe
Aston Villa have struggled to recapture the form that saw them finish fourth in the Premier League last season and secure a Champions League spot.
Ahead of this match, Unai Emery emphasized that his team is relishing their return to Europe’s elite competition after more than 40 years.
Although Villa started their campaign strongly with three wins, the intense demands of balancing domestic and European fixtures seem to be taking a toll. Since defeating Bologna in late October, they have been eliminated from the EFL Cup and failed to win any of their last six matches across both the Premier League and Europe.
In this match, Juventus dominated possession, but Villa created the clearer chances. Ollie Watkins’ first-time strike was well saved by Michele di Gregorio, and Lucas Digne’s free-kick struck the crossbar just before halftime.
John McGinn also came close, and Watkins saw a superb block from Manuel Locatelli deny him. The Villa Park crowd erupted when Morgan Rogers scored in stoppage time, only for their celebrations to be cut short as VAR ruled the goal out.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez showcased his talent once again, displaying the two Yashin trophies he won at the Ballon d’Or ceremony before kickoff. The Argentine World Cup winner justified the accolades with a crucial save to deny Juventus’ Conceicao.
Ultimately, a draw was a fair result. Fortunately, Villa’s strong early performances in the competition mean they remain well-positioned to advance to the last 16 despite recent setbacks.