Emiliano Martinez launches impassioned defence of Aston Villa team-mate Tyrone Mings as he confronts referee for controversial penalty call in his side’s Champions League defeat by Club Brugge

Martinez could be seen seemingly taking a goal kick short to Mings, who proceeded to pick up the ball and try and take the kick himself.

German referee Tobias Stieler blew his whistle for a penalty, much to the confusion of the Villa players before the protests began.

Martinez was involved in them and then failed to keep out Vanaken’s spot kick, with the Belgian rolling his spot kick into the back of the net and Martinez diving out the way.

Villa, who were joint top of the league table in terms of points going into this week’s round of games, tried to get back into the match but failed to break down the home defence.

And Martinez made his thoughts very clear to the officiating team after the game, caught by TV cameras protesting the call.

It was their first defeat in the Champions League and ends their perfect record after they’d won their opening three games. The Belgians were not expected to be their toughest opponents but produced a shock to secure a narrow 1-0 win.
Brugge captain Hans Vanaken converted from 12 yards after a strange serious of events that saw Tyrone Mings pick up the ball when Martinez passed to him from a goal kick. The Villa centre-half clearly didn’t realise the Argentine had restarted play and handled the ball.
VAR intervened to check but deemed that play had begun, meaning Mings was guilty of a handball. Martinez didn’t see it that way and took issue with referee Tobias Stieler after the game – telling him to “watch it back” before he was dragged away.
Ezri Konsa came out and defended his team-mate, questioning why Mings wasn’t sent-off if the referee felt it was a deliberate act given he was already on a yellow card.

He told TNT Sports: “I didn’t see it, i just saw the players running to the ref saying ‘handball.’ It kills the game. If he’s on a second yellow and it’s deliberate, why not send him off? It is a mistake, but it’s not a mistake we want to make, just got to move on from it.”
Unai Emery was equally stunned to see the blunder – which he claims is a first for him. The Spaniard said: “It is completely strange this mistake. It’s the biggest mistake we’ve made in my career as a coach. This mistake is very strange, but it is not for Tyrone Mings or Emi Martinez. It has only happened one time in all my life. Today.”