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

  • Mings gave away a penalty on his Champions League debut after picking up the ball
  • Martinez confronted the referee at full-time to plead his teammate’s innocence
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Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez launched an impassioned defense of his teammate after Villa’s controversial Champions League defeat to Club Brugge.

Martinez and his team conceded and lost for the first time in this season’s competition, going down 1-0 early in the second half in Belgium after a Hans Vanaken penalty.

It was a penalty decision that caused much debate, with Tyrone Mings, who is still making his return to the club after suffering a serious leg injury over a year ago, picking up the ball in his own penalty area.

Martinez seemingly took a goal kick short of Mings, who then picked up the ball and tried to 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.

Emiliano Martinez launched a passionate defense of Tyrone Mings after a controversial penalty

The defender picked up the ball, passed by Martinez, with a penalty awarded by the referee

Martinez could be heard saying “just look back” as he questioned officer Tobias Stieler

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

Villa, who were joint top of the table on points in this week’s match, tried to get back into the match but were unable to break the home defence.

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

He didn’t get much in return and was heard shouting: ‘Look back’ before being pulled away by opposition goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Former England international Mings will feel badly affected as Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes got away with making exactly the same mistake in the last Champions League campaign.

After receiving a goal-kick pass from David Raya during Arsenal’s match against Bayern Munich, Gabriel leaned over to pick up the ball and reposition it.

Hans Vanaken scored the penalty for Club Brugge and it was enough for a 1-0 victory

Mings made his Champions League debut after more than a year out injured with a serious leg problem

To the dismay of Bayern’s players, the Brazilian was not punished – and Mikel Arteta praised the referee for using ‘common sense’ after the match.

Mings, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee during a 5-1 defeat to Newcastle on August 12 last year, was called up for his Champions League debut when manager Unai Emery changed his squad.

The 31-year-old former Aston Villa captain accelerated his recovery last month by playing for the club’s U21 side.

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