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Antonio Conte accused the VAR of “creating a lot of damage” after Harry Kane saw a 95th-minute goal disallowed in a chaotic 1-1 draw with Sporting CP, claiming other big clubs receive more favourable calls than Spurs.
Tottenham thought they had sealed a spot in the Champions League’s last 16 with a game to spare on Wednesday, when Kane rifled home at the last after Rodrigo Bentancur cancelled out Marcus Edwards’ opener.
However, Kane was ruled to have been offside from Emerson Royal’s knockdown following a three-minute VAR review, leaving the hosts incensed.
Conte was dismissed by referee Danny Makkelie as the Tottenham bench erupted in protest following the decision, and he continued to express his fury in his post-match interview.
“About the end, I think that the ball was in front of Kane and the goal is a goal. I don’t understand the VAR, the line that they put,” Conte told BT Sport.
“It’s very difficult to comment on this decision and VAR, I think, is creating a lot of damage.
“I want to see if, in another stadium or with another big team, they are ready to disallow this type of goal. I’d like to know this.
“[I see] a lot of injustice. I don’t like this type of situation. I see no positive things.”
Conte was equally bemused by the decision to show him a red card, having been one of several members of the Spurs bench to spill onto the pitch in the aftermath of Kane’s strike.
“All the people came inside the pitch after the decision to disallow the goal,” Conte added. “He came to give me a red card, maybe because I was the most popular person going onto the pitch.”
The result – coupled with Eintracht Frankfurt’s 2-1 win over Marseille – leaves Group D finely balanced, with just two points separating all four teams after five games.
That means Spurs will need a draw to secure a top-two finish when they visit the Stade Velodrome next Tuesday, but Conte was reluctant to look beyond Wednesday’s contentious finale.
“It’s only one point, but I don’t understand why we have to wait for another game when we could finish the qualification in this game,” Conte added.
“When you invent this type of situation, which is incredible, you create a lot of damage to the club, and you create problems.”
