Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings (right) battling for the ball with Club Brugge's Ferran Jutgla in their Champions League clash. BRUGES – Aston Villa manager Unai Emery lamented Tyrone Mings’ incomprehensible handball that led to their 1-0 Champions League loss to Club Brugge on Nov 6, saying that the bizarre incident killed the game. The defender inexplicably picked up the ball believing it was out of play after Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez had sent him a short pass as a goal kick.
The referee whistled for a penalty, which Brugge captain Hans Vanaken converted in a baffling moment that left Emery livid, had stunned television commentators shaking their heads and ended Villa’s perfect start to their Champions League campaign in perhaps the most humiliating fashion. “His mistake is completely strange. It’s the biggest mistake I witnessed in my career,” said Emery, whose team are in eighth place after their loss.
“It is very, very strange. The second half, the mistake changed everything. A team like (Brugge), they are playing at home, defensively strong, they then focus 100 per cent to stop us, they were better than us.
” Fellow Villa defender Ezri Konsa agreed that the moment virtually snuffed out their chances. “It killed the game. If it is a handball, deliberate, then (Mings) should get a second yellow, he’s on a yellow already so why not send him off for that then? It killed the game,” he said.
“(But) look, it happened, there’s nothing we can do, just go.