Scandal erupts in Europa League semi-final! Referee lets Nottingham player off the hook for reckless straight-leg foul
Referee ignores blatant infringement
Football news
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The Europa League semi-final clash between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa was rocked by a highly controversial incident that sparked outrage among fans.
Details: Birmingham striker Ollie Watkins became the victim of a reckless straight-leg tackle that nearly resulted in a serious injury to Aston Villa’s attacking talisman.
Despite VAR initiating a review for a potential straight red card, the referee made a shocking decision. After a brief pause, play resumed with no card— not even a yellow— shown to the offender.
At the break, the score remains deadlocked at 0-0.
Reminder: Aston Villa have set their sights on Manchester City’s goalkeeper.