Emery furious as VAR does not recommend red for Elliot Anderson in Europa League semi

Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery publicly criticised the match officials and VAR after his side's 1-0 Europa League semi-final first leg defeat to Nottingham Forest, saying VAR made a "huge mistake" by not recommending a red card for Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson. Emery went as far as to say the challenge "could have broken his ankle", underlining his anger over the decision and its impact on the tie.

What Emery said and why it matters

According to the Sky Sports report, Emery accused VAR of failing to intervene after Anderson's challenge. The incident occurred during the Europa League semi-final first leg, which finished 1-0 in Nottingham Forest's favour. Emery's remarks centre on player safety and the interpretation of violent conduct that can lead to a red card; he described the non-intervention as a "huge mistake" by VAR.

Match context and implications for the tie

Sky Sports' summary states the game was the first leg of the Europa League semi-final, with Nottingham Forest winning 1-0. Emery's complaint raises questions about how the match will be discussed ahead of the second leg and whether appeals or disciplinary reviews will follow. The non-red decision left Villa with no numerical advantage in a narrow defeat away from home, a factor that could prove decisive in a two-legged tie.

• Aston Villa lost the Europa League semi-final first leg 1-0 to Nottingham Forest (source: Sky Sports).
• Unai Emery said VAR made a "huge mistake" by not recommending a red card for Elliot Anderson (source: Sky Sports).
• Emery said the challenge "could have broken his ankle", stressing concerns about the severity of the tackle (source: Sky Sports).

At this stage the report does not provide the minute of the incident, the referee or VAR official involved, any direct quotes beyond the paraphrased criticism, or confirmation of any subsequent disciplinary proceedings. Those details would be required to produce a fuller match report or to confirm whether governing bodies will review the incident.

What happens next

With the tie finely poised after a 1-0 first-leg result, attention will turn to the second leg and whether Nottingham Forest or Aston Villa seek any formal review of the incident. Any official VAR explanation, referee report, or disciplinary action would be reported separately; these facts are not included in the Sky Sports metadata provided and should be checked before wider publication.