Manchester City had to swallow the bitter pill of Champions League elimination on Wednesday after two VAR decisions went the way of Tottenham Hotspur to send Pep Guardiola’s side out.
Fernando Llorente got what proved to be the winner, though the ball seemed to strike a mix of his hand and hip on its way into the net.
“Maybe the image the referee saw it wasn’t the case, but from another angle it was a handball,” Guardiola said after the game. “It’s tough, it’s cruel, but we have to accept it.
Midfielder Fernandinho also slammed VAR decision for City elimination.
“F*** VAR!” he exclaimed as he walked past reporters.
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Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino affirmed that his greatest moment in coaching came whilst he was in charge of Espanyol and not on Wednesday night.
“My greatest joy as a coach was in Almeria when we were saved [from relegation] because of what it meant to the whole Espanyol family,” Pochettino said to El Partidazo de COPE and Radio MARCA.
In stoppage time, Raheem Sterling – and almost everyone at the Etihad – thought that he sealed his hat-trick, but VAR intervened and ruled that Sergio Aguero was offside in the build-up to the goal.
“When he scored, I looked like The Incredible Hulk,” stated Pochettino.
“I took off my jacket, I threw my sweater down [onto the ground] … I sat down and then that’s when they said that the VAR had disallowed it for offside.