Sonia Bompastor again criticised VAR after the system did not review a late Katie McCabe hair pull on Alyssa Thompson that many felt warranted a red card. The Chelsea boss was booked for her protests and then sent off after a second booking moments later.
Bompastor received a yellow for angrily confronting the referee when McCabe was not penalised; VAR did not signal for a review. Less than a minute later she stepped onto the pitch to retrieve the ball and was shown a second yellow and a red.
She questioned why VAR had not checked the incident, repeating concerns she raised after the first leg. “In the moment, I was emotional because I think it’s clear for everyone,” Bompastor said. “I can probably understand the referees sometimes can’t see that, but I don’t understand — and it’s not been the first time now — why the VAR is not checking that situation? Why are they not going back to that, checking and having a clear call on that? Because the impact on my player she was emotional.”
Bompastor told BBC Sport that Thompson had been upset: “She was crying. She’s trying her best on the pitch in both games and it is not good enough. When you are playing football and someone pulls your hair, it’s bad. She was emotional with that situation and the result.” McCabe posted on social media that the contact was not intentional: “I just want to clarify that I was genuinely reaching for the shirt, I wouldn’t ever want to pull someone’s hair. Full respect to Thompson.”
Former WSL striker Ellen White told BBC Sport she was “really shocked that VAR didn’t send the referee to review it and have a look. It does look very cynical. We’ve seen it before with a hair pull and it’s a straight red card, so it has to go to review.” White added that the incident could have changed the tie, noting Thompson was progressing down the wing and that a review could have led to a red for McCabe and a set-piece for Chelsea.
Arsenal boss Renée Slegers said she had not seen the incident live but, after viewing a still, believed it was likely not intentional and that she needed to watch it back before commenting further.
Bompastor also highlighted the match officials’ previous errors. She named referee Frida Klarlund and VAR official Katrin Rafalski, accusing them of mistakes in past Champions League matches involving Chelsea — saying Klarlund had previously misjudged an offside and awarded a controversial penalty to Real Madrid, and that Rafalski had been involved when Chelsea had a goal ruled out against Barcelona that Bompastor said was onside. “So I’m just questioning, why are these referees coming into this game with what happened in the first leg, refereeing these games? I don’t think that’s good enough. I’m really frustrated and upset, but not only for me, but my players deserve more respect for the performance they put on the pitch.”
The tie finished in chaotic fashion, with Chelsea winning the night 1-0 but losing 3-2 on aggregate to Arsenal, who progress to face either Lyon or Wolfsburg in the semi-finals. Sky Sports News’ James Green wrote that Bompastor’s frustration was understandable given the perceived obviousness of the hair pull and the context of errors involving the same officials in previous matches.