sport news Unai Emery leaps to defence of Aston Villa's set-pieces after Lille boss Paulo ... trends now
View
comments
Unai Emery has defended Aston Villa’s tactics amid accusations of dark arts from Lille boss Paulo Fonseca.
Ahead of tonight’s/Thursday’s Europa Conference League quarter-final in France, Fonseca urged referee Ivan Kruzliak, of Slovakia, to look closely at Villa’s set piece routines. In last week’s first leg at Villa Park, which Emery’s men won 2-1, Lille were furious when their markers were blocked by Villa players, allowing Ollie Watkins a free header for the opening goal.
‘What I am seeing is not blocks – they are fouls,’ said Fonseca, who was linked with the Villa job when Dean Smith was sacked in autumn 2021. ‘I love the fair game and what I want is just a fair game. If it happens I hope the referee will pay attention to it.
‘I know it’s difficult for referees to see everything but now we have VAR. I am trying to understand what is allowed and what is not allowed.’
Yet Emery hit back strongly, confirming he has no plans to change his approach to free-kicks and
