Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has told counterpart Jürgen Klopp of Liverpool to accept that VAR wrongly disallowed Luis Diaz’s first-half goal against Tottenham last Saturday.
Klopp on Wednesday, called for their game with Tottenham Hotspur to be replayed, suggesting that it’s a logical conclusion following PGMOL releasing the audio between VAR officials.
However, Emery has said Klopp should simply accept the result regardless of the mistake, while also highlighting how VAR has helped eradicate the vast majority of mistakes within the game.
Speaking during a press conference ahead of Aston Villa’s Europa Conference League clash against Bosnian side Zrinjski, Emery said, “Before, when we didn’t have VAR, there were a lot of mistakes – more than now.
“Now I can accept some mistakes in VAR. They are only a few… small mistakes. Of course for Liverpool it was a big mistake in the last match against Tottenham but we have to accept because before, without VAR, there were more and more and more.
“I listened to the conversation between the referees, because it’s popular, and they were concerned about their mistake but they couldn’t react they had started playing again. It’s a mistake. I accept it. Of course, for Liverpool it is more difficult.
“For Jurgen too it’s more difficult but I accept it. I know before VAR came in there were more mistakes than now. But you have to accept it like before if there is a mistake. So no, no (to a replay) You have to accept it like before, when we were without VAR.”
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