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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is booked after FURIOUS touchline exchange with Lille boss Paulo Fonseca during Europa Conference League clash

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is booked after FURIOUS touchline exchange with Lille boss Paulo Fonseca during Europa Conference League clash

Unai Emery was booked in the first half of Aston Villa’s match on Thursday night The yellow card came after a furious exchange with Lille boss Paulo Fonseca If Erik ten Hag wins the FA Cup with Man United, does he deserve to keep his job? Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery and Lille boss Paulo Fonseca were both booked after a furious touchline row during their Europa Conference League clash on Thursday night. 

The pair argued with one another late in the first half just seconds after Lille midfielder Benjamin Andre was shown a yellow card.

It was the fourth booking of the half, with Nicolo Zaniolo, Emiliano Martinez and Nabil Bentaleb also cautioned, and Emery and Fonseca clearly had differing views on the decision.

They had a heated exchange by the pitch before the referee ran over to the touchline to show both of them a yellow card.

He blew his whistle to urge both men to control their behaviour, but Fonseca responded by stretching his arms out and continuing to complain as he appeared baffled by the yellow card.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is booked after FURIOUS touchline exchange with Lille boss Paulo Fonseca during Europa Conference League clash

Unai Emery reacted furiously to a refereeing decision and was booked in the first half on Thursday

His opposite number, Paulo Fonseca (pictured), was also booked after a heated exchange with Emery

His opposite number, Paulo Fonseca (pictured), was also booked after a heated exchange with Emery

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Emery was also left seething as he motioned that Fonseca was talking too much while muttering under his breath.

It had been a difficult first half for the Premier League side after they entered the second leg of the quarter-final with a 2-1 lead from last week’s match at Villa Park.

Lille drew level on aggregate through Yusuf Yazici inside 15 minutes and continued to force the issue for the rest of the first half.

Villa did not manage to muster a single shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes, with Martinez also having to be alert to keep his side on level terms in the tie. 

Emery may also have been annoyed by his own team’s performance, and took out his frustration on Fonseca as they went at in their respective technical areas.

Fortunately, the half time whistle blew a few moments later, giving him 15 minutes to cool down ahead of a huge second half for his team. 

Things went from bad to worse for Villa after the break as Andre netted Lille’s second of the night to put the French side 3-2 ahead on aggregate. 

But the visitors took the game to extra time after Matty Cash fired home with just three minutes remaining. 

Martinez was then the hero in the subsequent penalty shootout, saving two spot-kicks as Villa won 4-3 on penalties to reach the semi-finals. 


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