VAR conversation unveiled as Aston Villa 'lucky' to beat AZ Alkmaar

AZ Alkmaar manager Pascal Jansen believes the goal that kickstarted Aston Villa's 2-1 comeback victory shouldn't have stood. Annoyed by what he describes as a "very unfortunate error", Jansen didn't hold back his thoughts on the decision that led to Diego Carlos' equaliser.

Although a glorious moment for Villa's number three as he headed in for his first goal in claret and blue, the corner from which he scored was given in a bizarre manner. Boubacar Kamara missed a sitter, skying the ball well over the crossbar with no AZ defenders around him, but referee Luis Godinho pointed for a corner.

Everyone associated with the visitors was in visible disbelief as the set piece was given, including Jansen. The reaction was then exemplified even further when Carlos found the net. “We were very unfortunate to concede from a corner kick that wasn’t a corner kick," Jansen said in the post-match press conference, with a shrug of the shoulders.

"I contacted the fourth official and said, ‘What is this about, there’s no AZ player near the ball’. He said that he didn’t know. With all the technology, VAR and eyes around the pitch, it shouldn’t be possible for this to happen," Jansen continued in a calm yet frustrated manner.

Had the corner not been given, Villa may have never found a way back into the game as AZ were resilient in their defensive third. As it's turned out, however, the goal was given and Emery's team won't care as they march on ahead of their final two fixtures of Group E, against Legia Warsaw and HSK Zrinjski.