Chelsea coach laments lack of VAR on hair-pulling incident in Women’s Champions League

London — Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor brandished her phone in front of rolling cameras late Wednesday night, replaying footage she insists shows Arsenal defender Katie McCabe tugging the hair of Chelsea forward Alyssa Thompson in the dying embers of a pulsating Women’s Champions League quarter-final second leg.

With Chelsea pushing for the goal that would have forced extra-time, Thompson surged down the right flank in the 94th minute. Bompastor’s clip, filmed from the technical area, appears to show McCabe catching Thompson’s long ponytail as the American international accelerated past. No foul was given; seconds later the final whistle confirmed a 1-0 win on the night for Chelsea but a 3-2 aggregate victory for Arsenal.

Bompastor, already dismissed by Danish referee Frida Klarlund for protesting on the touchline, returned to the mixed zone clutching the evidence she believes should have altered the outcome.

“I brought the phone with me — I don’t know if you can see that. That’s probably not usual,” the French coach said, holding the screen toward reporters. “But if you look at this video … for me it is clearly a 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.”

Thompson, according to Bompastor, left the pitch in tears.

McCabe countered the allegation on Instagram Stories, writing: “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.”

UEFA said on Thursday morning it had yet to receive the match delegate’s report and would not comment further until the documentation is reviewed.

Lawmakers classify hair-pulling as violent conduct, punishable by an automatic red card. VAR interventions for similar offences have precedent: Germany’s Kathrin Hendrich was sent off during last summer’s Women’s European Championship after the video official spotted her tugging the ponytail of France captain Griedge Mbock. In the men’s game, Paris Saint-Germain’s João Neves and Everton’s Michael Keane have both been dismissed after reviews for comparable offences.

Chelsea exit the competition aggrieved, while Arsenal progress to the semi-finals amid a storm of controversy that shows no sign of abating.