Emiliano Martinez appeared to mock Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio for feigning injury after the controversial, match-deciding moment at Villa Park.

Di Gregorio was involved in the pivotal incident four minutes into added time when he dropped Youri Tielemans’s free-kick under pressure from Diego Carlos.

Villa forward Ollie Watkins criticised the standard of Champions League officiating after Morgan Rogers’s late goal was disallowed by referee Jesus Gil Manzano.

Unai Emery claimed that Manzano had initially awarded a goal, only to change his mind without a VAR review.

After the final whistle Martinez, who had produced an excellent save in the second half, seemed to be making fun of Di Gregorio as they left the field.

Watkins said: “I think it’s soft, maybe in the Premier League that’s a goal, but I feel like in Europe the goalkeepers are protected a lot with the referees.

“I thought we had scored but to be fair I think it had a 0-0 game written all over it, so it would have been lucky had we took that there.

“I’ve got to be careful what I say about the referees, but the refereeing is a little bit different. During this competition they don’t let things go as much. We’re used to that now, but it’s one of those things. Sometimes the decisions go with you and sometimes against you and it’s out of our control really.”

Emery also said that Rogers’s goal would have likely been allowed if it had been in a Premier League match.

He said: “With the last action, it is the interpretation of the referee. In England, 80 per cent of those is given a goal and it is not a foul.

“It’s very soft, but in Europe, it could be a foul. We have to accept it when the action happened.”

What happened?

Four minutes into added time and Aston Villa launch a “Hail Mary” into the Juventus area.

Youri Tielemans’s long-distance free-kick is lofted into the box as Villa search for the crucial breakthrough.

Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio appears certain to catch the ball, despite coming under pressure from Villa defender Diego Carlos.

However, Di Gregorio drops the ball, which then squirts over to Morgan Rogers, who is presented with the simple task of finishing from close range.

Cue bedlam at Villa Park, with Rogers wheeling away in celebration after putting away what he believes is a priceless winner.

Yet after a long delay referee Jesus Gil Manzano indicates that Di Gregorio was fouled by Carlos and the goal is disallowed, with a VAR check reinforcing his decision.

Juventus’s travelling fans celebrated as if it was a goal but there were loud boos reverberating around Villa Park from the home supporters, who believed they had been treated to another dramatic last-minute winner in Europe this season.

It did appear a very soft foul, if a foul at all, and provided further evidence that goalkeepers are a protected species.

Villa will finish November without a win and this is proving a frustrating time for Emery and his players.

How did Villa react?

“I think it’s soft,” said Villa striker Ollie Watkins. “Maybe in the Premier League that’s a goal, but I feel like in Europe the goalkeepers are protected a lot with the referees. It’s one of them, I thought we had scored but to be fair I think it had a 0-0 game written all over it, so it would have been lucky had we took that there.

“I’ve got to be careful what I say about the referees, but the refereeing is a little bit different. During this competition they don’t let things go as much. We’re used to that now, but it’s one of those things. Sometimes the decisions go with you and sometimes against you and it’s out of our control really.”

What about the pundits?

Peter Crouch: “Back in my day, it would never have been a foul. The crowd here hasn’t been happy with the referee’s performance at all.

“It’s been an improved performance from Aston Villa, but they have lacked that cutting edge tonight.”

Michael Dawson: “The goalkeeper has dropped it, it went straight through his hands. It is so soft. It’s not a foul for me.”

Lucy Ward: “It’s definitely an important point for Aston Villa and Unai Emery. But they could have nicked the win there. I don’t think it was a foul, but this referee has been all over the place in this game.”