SHOCKED fans can’t believe Ollie Watkins escaped a red card after an “elbow” left Lille’s Ismaily with a gruesome forehead swelling.
The defender was cleared to carry on despite an egg-sized bruise – only to see Watkins’ Aston Villa reach the Europa Conference League last four after a controversial penalty shootout.
One viewer reacted: “Straight elbow from Watkins – course he isn’t sent off.”
Another said: “Watkins just changed the shape of a man’s head???”
Other responses included “ridiculous” …”that’s wild”… and “looks scary”.
England striker Watkins was merely booked over the incident.
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And in the end Villa sneaked through to their first major European semi-final since 1982 after a dramatic night in France.
Unai Emery’s men were 2-1 up from the first leg but fell 2-0 behind on the night and 3-2 overall – as Yusuf Yazici and Benjamin Andre struck.
But Matty Cash pounced for an aggregate leveller on 87 minutes.
Villa then won a jaw-dropping shootout 4-3 – with Emi Martinez the hero via two spot-kick saves but almost a villain courtesy of his second yellow card.
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Booked for time-wasting during the match itself, the Argentinian keeper was cautioned again for an apparent gesture at home supporters.
But Martinez was able to stay on – because his first yellow card did not count once the tie went to a shootout.
Nonetheless, Watkins avoiding a sending-off remained an equally-key moment for many fans.
And some were even stunned Ismaily was able to continue.
“He should have been taken off immediately,” one responded.
“Jeez hope he’s good,” said another.
And a few compared the size and shape of his injury to an egg or golf ball – before Lille were left with a headache following Villa’s triumph.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
