Aston Villa executive Damian Vidagany could find himself facing scrutiny from the FA following his comments after the Crystal Palace match.
Villa were held to a 0-0 draw by Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, as their disappointing run against the Eagles continued at Selhurst Park.
Palace had also claimed a convincing 3-0 victory at Villa Park earlier in the campaign, underlining the fact that the Villans appear to have a clear bogey side.
Unai Emery’s team were left frustrated by a missed chance to move above Manchester City in the Premier League standings as well, with Pep Guardiola’s side also drawing at home against Brighton.
Damian Vidagany wants more respect for Aston Villa:
Pundit and former Aston Villa midfielder Stan Collymore voiced his displeasure with the standard of officiating against Palace, a view shared by many within the Villa camp.
Referee Andy Madley was seen as particularly forgiving at Selhurst Park, awarding eight fouls against Crystal Palace compared to just three against Aston Villa, with the visitors feeling several decisions went against them.
Among those unhappy was Villa’s director of football operations, Vidagany, who took to social media after the match to air his and the club’s concerns over what they believe is a lack of respect compared to other Premier League sides.
“Aston Villa deserves the same respect as the other teams in the Premier League,” Vidagany said.
“We don’t want any favour or injustice for others : we want and demand respect. You can see clearly this respect with other clubs and other players. We deserve the same: our players, staff, club are respectful and we want fair play. UTV!”
Vidagany told to expect FA charge:
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, former FIFA official Keith Hackett warned that Vidagany should be prepared for potential disciplinary action from the FA following his social media remarks.
“These comments are unacceptable and the Football Association should seek clarification on the matter. If Aston Villa have any concerns about decisions or match officiating, there are several channels of communication open to them,” Hackett explained.
“Managers can seek clarification on decisions with referees 30 minutes after the game, while they can also speak directly to a Premier League representative.
“Furthermore, they can write to both the FA and Premier League, while also having the option to speak with head of PGMOL Howard Webb.”
“In this instance, the individual (Vidagany) may now be charged by the Football Association.”