Champions League: Villa denied victory over Juve as Rogers' stoppage-time goal ruled out

BBC Sport, November 28 — Aston Villa were denied victory over Juventus in the Champions League as Morgan Rogers' stoppage-time goal was ruled out.

Rogers' smart finish was disallowed when the video assistant referee deemed Diego Carlos to have fouled goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio in the air.

The disappointment means Villa's winless run has reached seven matches.

Unai Emery's side ended a four-game losing run with a draw against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, but they have not tasted victory since a 2-0 win over Bologna five weeks ago.

Villa enjoyed the better of the chances against Juventus but could not find a goal against the team who boast the best defensive record in Serie A.

Spaniard Emery believed Rogers' disallowed goal would have been awarded in domestic competition.

"In England the interpretation is different," he said. "The English referees, when actions like that, the interpretation is a clear no foul, but in Europe that interpretation is different.

"When the action happened, I was thinking here in Europe it’s a foul. In England, not."

Emery brought on super-sub Jhon Duran after 77 minutes in the hope he could make a difference.

Duran had scored in each of his two home Champions League appearances for Villa this season, but the Colombian this time failed to make such an impact from the bench.

Juventus had their moments, with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez producing a superb save when he palmed away Francisco Conceicao's shot at the near post. The Portuguese winger's low effort had been centimetres from fully crossing the line.

Ultimately it was a safety-first performance from the home side, who have gone seven games without a win for the first time under Emery.

The Villans sit ninth in the Champions League table while Juventus are 19th and without a win in their last three games in Europe.

Villa have struggled to replicate the form they enjoyed last season when finishing fourth in the Premier League and qualifying for the Champions League.

Before this match Emery insisted his side are enjoying their time in Europe's top club competition, the first time they have featured in it for more than 40 years.

While they started their campaign well with three victories, they are now perhaps beginning to feel the demands of a gruelling domestic and European schedule.

Since the win over Bologna in late October, they have been knocked out of the EFL Cup and failed to win any of their other six matches in the Premier League and Europe.

Juventus enjoyed the greater spells of possession in this game, but it was Villa who carved out the better chances. Ollie Watkins' first-time effort was parried away by Di Gregorio and Lucas Digne's free-kick clipped the bar on the stroke of half-time.

John McGinn also went close and Watkins was denied by a super Manuel Locatelli block before Villa Park erupted as Rogers found the back of the net.

Joy turned to disappointment when the strike was ruled out.

Martinez paraded his two Yashin trophies before kick-off, having won the award for world's best goalkeeper for a second consecutive year at the Ballon d'Or ceremony last month, and the Argentine World Cup winner proved why he is worthy of the accolade with the fine stop to deny Juve's Conceicao.

A draw was ultimately a fair result, and Villa's earlier results in Europe this season means they can afford a couple of slip-ups and still be in a strong position to progress to the last 16.