Jonathan White + FOLLOW Jonathan White joined the Post in 2017 after a decade reporting on sport from China. He originally moved to Beijing to coach football in 2007 and later spent two years in Shanghai.<doc-sep>Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho gave a sharp two-word response to journalists after Tottenham knocked the Premier League champions out of Europe. City fell to a defeat on away goals in the quarterfinal tie with Spurs after the scoreline finished 4-4 on aggregate after two legs, with a thrilling game at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night ending in heartbreak for the home side. Pep Guardiola’s men took the lead in the fourth minute on the night thanks to Raheem Sterling, but a quickfire Son Heung-min double turned the game on its head shortly after. Bernardo Silva then equalised one minute later before Sterling struck again to give City a 3-2 lead after just 21 minutes, which is how the scoreline stayed until just after the interval when Sergio Aguero fired home a fourth. Then came the controversy. Spurs substitute Fernando Llorente made it 4-3 in the 73rd minute after diverting the ball into the net via his thigh and a brush of the arm, but only after a VAR review judged that he had not handled the ball intentionally. City then relentlessly pursued the goal they needed to progress to the semi-finals and they thought they’d got it in stoppage time when Sterling netted for his hat-trick – only to be denied by VAR who correctly ruled that he had been in an offside position. According to The Daily Mirror, Fernandinho said “F*** VAR” in response to reporters asking him for comment in the mixed zone after the game, clearly shaken by the dramatic events which had unfolded in Manchester. The Brazilian’s uncharacteristic foul-mouthed outburst perfectly summed up how the squad must have been feeling, after coming so close to an incredible victory which was snatched away in cruel fashion. When Sterling fired home what City thought was the winning goal, the home stadium erupted and Guardiola ran down the touchline in delight, completely oblivious to the discussions taking place between officials. After the dust settled, the English champions were out of the Champions League and Tottenham had earned a place in the last four against Ajax – with City’s quadruple hopes up in flames.<doc-sep>Sign up to FREE email alerts from Football London - Spurs Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City played out a Champions League classic at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening, which will live long in the memory. Five first-half goals over the course of just 21 minutes were smashed home, before Sergio Aguero put the hosts 4-3 ahead on aggregate when he smashed home in the second half. But with City looking to continue their push towards an unprecedented quadruple, Tottenham threw a spanner in the works through Fernando Llorente as he bundled home from a corner. The City players were unhappy with the goal though, appealing for handball, and there was a dramatic pause as the Video Assistant Referee called the official over to the sideline to have a look. After seeing the incident for a second time, the referee awarded the goal and former Premier League official Peter Walton explained why the decision was given. “I don’t think that’s a handball. The ball has come over and you can clearly see, yes it’s come over, but it’s hit his knee," he said, speaking on BT Sport. “What I’m seeing is what I’ve seen first time, it’s come in and it’s hit his knee. If it hit his arm, I can see the referee disallowing the goal.” The goal put Spurs ahead again on away goals, but the drama was not over there as VAR was used once again in stoppage time. And on this occasion, a goal was disallowed, with Sterling denied a hat-trick and a dramatic late winner, with Walton stating that in his opinion,the right decision was made. "Absolutely correct. In the attacking phase of play, Aguero was offside when he receives the ball and the goal should not stand," the former Premier League referee said. Keep up to date with the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, features and exclusives from football.london via our free WhatsApp service . Text NEWS to 07776197989 and then add the number to your phone contacts book as spurs dot london (case sensitive, with spaces) to receive daily updates and breaking news from Alasdair Gold and the team on Spurs. Your phone number won't be shared with any other members of the group. Click here for more information on the service.<doc-sep>The use of VAR was at the centre of the thrilling Champions League quarter final second leg between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, with Pep Guardiola feeling aggrieved over the referee not using one specific angle that showed the ball hitting Fernando Llorente's arm for his decisive goal. The City boss had no issue with Raheem Sterling's late strike being chalked off courtesy of a correct VAR review but he did lament referee Cuneyt Cakir not exploring another angle for the Llorente goal. "I support VAR but maybe from one angle Fernando Llorente's goal is handball, maybe from the referee's angle it is not," Guardiola said, as per The Guardian. Advert 10 In the 73rd minute, the former Swansea City and Athletic Bilbao striker bundled the ball in past Ederson from Christian Eriksen's corner. Turkish referee Cakir went to the VAR screen and after a long wait, elected to award the goal and gestured to his hip while City players protested. However, the angle that he was not privy to, shows the ball clearly striking Llorente's arm before it hits his hip and ends up in the back of the net. Advert 10 The arm cannot have a material effect on a goal being scored. Intent or natural position do not factor in. The ref was not given this angle on his VAR check for some reason. He got the wrong angle. pic.twitter.com/dwfXy2Q4Zi - Craig Burley (@CBurleyESPN) April 17, 2019 Opinions on the decision has been split amongst fans and pundits alike but BT Sport's Rio Ferdinand was adamant that it was handball. Advert 10 "That's off his arm for me. That's hit his arm. Watch the skin on his arm, it moves,' the Manchester United defender said, to which host Gary Lineker replied: 'But even if it just flicks the arm and then goes onto the hips that's not... is it? "I'm just saying the ball's hit his arm and then it's up to the referee to determine whether its a handball or not,' Ferdinand added. "I think it's handball personally I've got to be honest." The law on handballs in the game will change as part of a number of IFAB rule changes coming into play next season, meaning accidental handball - like in the case of Llorente last night because his arm was by his side - would see the goal disallowed. Advert 10 IFAB technical director David Elleray told the BBC: "Deliberate handball remains an offence. In the past we've managed to improve the laws by focusing on outcome rather than intent.<doc-sep>
Manchester City midfielder did not hide his anger after his team were dumped out of the UEFA Champions League by English rivals Tottenham on a rollercoaster night of action at the Etihad Stadium. City beat Spurs 4-3 in Manchester but the London club progressed on away goals following their 1-0 win at home a week ago. Also on rt.com Reaction as Spurs knock Man City out on astonishing night of Champions League drama An incredible game – which featured five goals in the opening 21 minutes – made use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) at two crucial junctures. The first came when Spurs forward Fernando Llorente scored from a corner on 73 minutes, bundling the ball over the line to put the score at 4-4 on aggregate. There was the strong suggestion that the Spaniard had used his hand to do so, although having consulted VAR, referee Cuneyt Cakir was satisfied that the goal should stand. Replays showed that the ball may indeed have brushed Llorente’s arm before hitting his thigh and going in, although it was not intentional. Then came yet more drama as City thought they had won the tie in injury time when Raheem Sterling had the ball in the back of the net, sparking wild celebrations from the City players, staff and fans. But again, VAR would intervene to the benefit of Spurs, as Turkish official Cakir was informed that City striker Sergio Aguero had been offside before passing the ball to Sterling to score. All class.Pep Guardiola takes it on the chin after enduring one of the most heartbreaking ends to a football match in recent memory.#OptusSport#UCL#MCITOTpic.twitter.com/AeO6of6l41 — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) April 18, 2019 City’s Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho, a second-half substitute on the night, apparently made his feelings clear after the game about the intervention of VAR against his team. “F*ck VAR,” the 33-year-old is said to have replied when asked for comment from journalists in the mixed zone. Asked Fernandinho for a word in the mixed zone. He gave me two: “Fuck VAR.” — Simon Mullock (@MullockSMirror) April 17, 2019 City boss Pep Guardiola was somewhat more diplomatic in his post-match press conference, but still lamented what he felt was the injustice of the Llorente goal. "I support VAR, absolutely, if just to see the goal from Llorente 's handball; from one angle it's handball, but from the angle the referee saw, it's not,” the Spaniard said. “I'm a fan for the fair football, the fair decisions. The referee must be helped sometimes, and if he's [Aguero’s] offside, he's offside, what can I say?” Guardiola added when discussing the injury-time drama. Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino paid tribute to his team of “heroes,” who got the job done despite the absence of star striker Harry Kane, who injured himself in the first leg. "I am more than happy, I am more than proud. To be in the semis was a dream. Now we are there. My players are heroes," the Argentine said. Tottenham will be appearing at this stage of Europe’s top club competition for just the second time in their history, and will meet a young Ajax team equally as unfancied to have come this far in the tournament. Elsewhere, Liverpool set up a quarter-final meeting with Spanish giants Barcelona. Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League stars, beaten finalists last season, eased past Porto 4-1 away from home to win their tie 6-1 on aggregate.