Daniel Schlager went “against the laws of the game” as Aston Villa beat Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Unai Emery and his men set up a mouthwatering quarter-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain after securing a 3-0 victory over the Belgians at Villa Park this week to round off a 6-1 aggregate victory.
Marco Asensio continued his stunning start to life in the West Midlands with a second-half brace, with each goal coming either side of Ian Maaten’s first for the club.
However, the game was called to a halt early in strange circumstances.
Emery and Nicky Hayen agreement in Aston Villa win
Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen and Emery were spotted having a chat as the game approached the end of the 90th minute.
As per TNT Sports on X, the two managers – as well as German fourth official Schlager – agreed there would be no additional time at the end of the 90 and referee Daniel Siebert then went ahead and blew his whistle.
Keith Hackett is baffled by the late management of the game by the two officials, saying that it defies IFAB law for anyone other than the referee to decide when the match finishes.
And with Aston Villa season ticket holders paying up to £94 to attend the game, the former FIFA-listed referee also believes they’ve been hit by the decision.
Champions League quarter-final tiesAston VillaParis Saint-GermainArsenalReal MadridBarcelonaBorussia DortmundBayern MunichInter MilanVilla face PSG in the quarter-finals while Arsenal, who beat PSV, will meet Real Madrid.
“The action by the fourth official is against the laws of the game,” Hackett told Villa News.
“Each game must have two equal halves of 45 minutes, plus any time lost.
“While I can understand the request from the losing manager, officials are not allowed to take this course of action.
“Fans are also paying good money to see a complete game.
“The law says that the fourth official indicates the minimum additional time decided by the referee at the end of the final minute of each half.
“The additional time may be increased by the referee but not reduced.
“The referee must not compensate for a timekeeping error during the first half by changing the length of the second half.“
Emery plays role in late nonsense in Aston Villa win
Emery had every reason to cut the game short because it lessened the risk of any of his players getting injured, booked or sent off in the dying embers of a game that was essentially already over.
But that creates problems elsewhere because what if Arsenal, who beat PSV 9-3 on aggregate, played through their entire stoppage time at the end of the game and received an injury to a key player?
Raheem Sterling was booked in the third minute of stoppage time at the end of the game and he’ll now miss the first leg of Arsenal’s quarter-final clash against Real Madrid.
Mikel Arteta would have no doubt liked to have ended his game on the 90th minute to stop issues like that happening.
Ex-PGMOL chief: UEFA official breaks football law as Emery footage emerges in Aston Villa win
