SONIA BOMPASTOR was left seething after Katie McCabe controversially avoided a red card in a dramatic Champions League quarter-final.
Arsenal looked almost certain to go down to 10 players when McCabe pulled the hair of Alyssa Thompson during a Chelsea attack in added time.
The full-back somehow avoided punishment – despite VAR being in use – for the challenge, leaving Chelsea manager Bompastor furious on the sidelines.
She initially received a yellow card for protesting, but was quickly booked for a second time before being ushered down the tunnel.
Bompastor made her feelings on the incident clear at full-time as she even showed a replay of the incident on her phone.
The French coach showed the video during her post-match chat with the BBC.
She said: “I brought the phone with me, I don’t know if you can see that.
“But if you look at this video, for me it’s clearly the red card for the Arsenal player. She’s pulling Alyssa’s hair.
“So I think for me, if the VAR again is not able to check that situation, I don’t know why we have the VAR.”
Bompastor continued her complaints and doubled down on the punishment that should have gone to McCabe.
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She said: “In the moment, I was emotional because I think it’s clear for everyone.
“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.
“At the end, I’m the one who gets a red card, where I think the Arsenal player should be the one who gets a red card.”
The 45-year-old went on to slam VAR and the officials in charge of it, adding: “What is the VAR doing in these games?
“If we have the VAR, why are we not checking these situations? I don’t understand, and it’s not good enough.”
Chelsea part-owner Alexis Ohanian also had his say on the incident, taking to X to comment: “Protect players.”
McCabe later claimed on social media that she did not intend to pull Thompson’s hair.
She wrote: “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.”
Arsenal progressed to the semi-finals with a 3-2 win on aggregate despite losing 1-0 in west London following Sjoeke Nusken’s late strike.
Goals from Stina Blackstenius, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo helped the Gunners to a 3-1 lead going into the second leg, with Lauren James keeping Chelsea in it.
The reigning European champions will face either Wolfsburg or Lyon in the semi-finals.
The first leg is scheduled to take place on April 25 with Arsenal playing at home.
