Pochettino Slams VAR After Controversial Call Costs Chelsea Winner

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino launched a scathing attack on Video Assistant Referee (VAR) after a late winner by Axel Disasi was disallowed in their dramatic 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.

Disasi thought he had snatched all three points for the Blues with a headed goal deep into stoppage time, but VAR intervened, identifying a foul in the build-up by Benoit Badiashile. The decision left Pochettino fuming, accusing VAR of "damaging English football."

"They said it was a foul, but if you see that challenge again, what happens if we call every single challenge like that?" Pochettino questioned in a post-match interview with BBC Match of the Day. "We wouldn't finish the game with eleven players on the pitch. We can talk about the performance or the decision, but for me, that's damaging the game."

The disallowed goal was the culmination of a thrilling encounter at Villa Park. Chelsea fell behind to an own goal by Marc Cucurella early on before falling further behind to a strike by Morgan Rogers. However, the Blues clawed their way back into the game with two second-half goals to earn a share of the spoils.

Pochettino's frustration stemmed from the subjectivity of the foul in question. He argued that the challenge by Badiashile was a common occurrence in the game and shouldn't have warranted disallowing the goal.

This isn't the first time Pochettino has clashed with VAR this season. The Argentine manager was left furious two weeks ago when a handball decision went against Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City.

The use of VAR in English football remains a contentious issue. While supporters appreciate the technology's ability to correct clear and obvious errors, others argue that it disrupts the flow of the game and introduces a level of inconsistency in decision-making.

Pochettino's comments are sure to reignite the debate surrounding VAR in the Premier League. It remains to be seen whether these concerns will prompt any changes to the way the technology is implemented in the future.