Aston Villa vs Juventus LIVE: Champions League result and final score after late controversy
Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus: A last-gasp Morgan Rogers goal was ruled out but the hosts remain in a strong position in the table
Aston Villa had to settle for a 0-0 draw with Juventus in the Champions League after a last-gasp effort by Morgan Rogers was chalked off for a foul on Juventus keeper Michele Di Gregorio.
Villa thought they had won it at the death to end a six-game winless streak when Di Gregorio failed to catch a free kick but Diego Carlos fouled the Juventus keeper as Rogers was lashing the ball into the net, and boos poured out from Villa fans after the final whistle.
The match was far from a classic, with Juventus seemingly content to keep possession, and both sides squandered chances, with Villa’s best coming from Lucas Digne who hammered a free kick off the crossbar seconds before halftime.
Midway through the second half, Francisco Conceicao’s header from a corner looked destined for the back of Villa’s net but goalkeeper Emi Martinez dived to get his fingertips to the ball.
Unai Emery’s Villa, who had kicked off their Champions League campaign with three victories and three clean sheets, are ninth in the table after five games, while their Italian visitors, who had only 14 outfield players available on Wednesday, are 17th.
Follow live updates from Aston Villa vs Juventus in the Champions League, below
Late controversy against Juventus can’t hide Aston Villa truth under Unai Emery
Aston Villa and Unai Emery have run out of ideas, far too early in the Spaniard’s previously exhilarating revolution.
If a Villa supporter started complaining about drawing with Juventus, in normal circumstances, you would tell them to get a hold of themselves. But having worked so hard to be part of English football’s elite, this is where Emery’s side are at.
And if they want to stay there, this alarming winless run now standing at seven in competitions after a dour 0-0 draw on Wednesday night, the longest of Emery’s reign, must be brought to an abrupt end sooner rather than later.
What’s perhaps most worrying for Villains is that Emery does not seem to be overly proactive in stopping the rot. The same players, in the same system, are deployed week after week, and teams of all levels have worked how to nullify them all too easily.
Late controversy against Juventus can’t hide Aston Villa truth under Unai Emery
Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus: A goalless draw against the Italian giants means Emery’s side are winless in seven - so should fans be worried?
Aston Villa and Juventus had ‘0-0 written all over it’
Ollie Watkins thought Aston Villa’s goal should have stood too but admitted the match had “0-0 written all over it”.
“I think it was soft. Maybe in the Premier League, it’s a goal. But in Europe, the goalkeepers are protected a lot. It’s one of them.
“Obviously, I have to be careful talking about the referee. But it’s different in this competition. But we are used to it now. Sometimes it goes against you and sometimes it goes in your favour.”
VAR decision ‘harsh’ - Unai Emery
Unai Emery on the decision to disallow Aston Villa’s goal:
“I am very happy because we won a point. We played a very competitive match. We were dominating the match to try to get three points.
“The last action is clear. It’s the interpretation of the referee. We know in England, it’s 80 per cent not a foul, but in Europe, maybe not. For me it was harsh. In England, I know it’s not a foul usually, because it was a very soft contact. But in Europe, it could be foul.
“I think the referee, in the beginning, he was giving it as goal. We have to accept his decision.”
FULL-TIME! Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus
Aston Villa were forced to settle for a point against Juventus after a controversial decision denied Morgan Rogers of a late winner at Villa Park.
Both teams took a while to grow into the game, but things began to open up towards the tail-end of the first-half, with Lucas Digne coming closest for the hosts.
The contest developed into an end-to-end affair after the interval, with Emi Martinez producing an awe-inspiring save to claw Francisco Conceição’s off the line, before John McGinn was denied from close range.
The game loooked set to end goalless, but as Villa launched a late free-kick onto the head of Michele Di Gregorio, the hosts thought they had nabbed it as Rogers knocked home from close range.
But in a decision that will be sure to spark debate, the refereeing deemed that the Juventus keeper had been fouled in the moments leading to the goal, striking Villa’s winner from the record and leaving the hosts frustrated as the full-time whistle was blown.
FULL-TIME! Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus
Controversy in the final moments sees a famous European victory for Aston Villa snatched from their grasp.
It ends goalless.
GOAL DISALLOWED! Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus
90+5 mins: GOAL DISALLOWED! Heartbreak for the hosts.
The referee deems that Di Gregorio was impeded for the goal and gives a foul, robbing Rogers of his winner.
It’s a soft foul and Villa will feel incredibly hard done by here.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Juventus
90+3 mins: GOAL! VILLA HAVE WON IT AT THE DEATH!
Villa get one last chance and launch a free-kick from near the technical area onto the keeper’s head.
Di Gregorio flaps at the ball when attempting to catch it, with it falling into the path of Morgan Rogers to tap in.
However, Juventus are pleading for a foul, with Di Gregorio down injured - and there’s a VAR check going on...
Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus
90+2 mins: Villa break forward once again with Diego Carlos the driving force, going on a brilliant run to make it four-on-four.
However, the Brazilian keeps it for a moment too long and the opportunity goes begging.
Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus
90+1 mins: Tired pass from Rogers sees a give-and-go with Duran go awry.
A moment indicative of most of Villa’s attacking play tonight.
Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus
90 mins: After a spell out of possession, Aston Villa win the ball on the edge of their own box and quckly break forward, moving with intent.
After a bit of passing play down the left, it’s defender Pau Torres who whips in a high delivery, caught by Di Gregorio.
Only three minutes added on.
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